• James 5:3
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 3 ὁ the χρυσὸς gold ὑμῶν of YOU καὶ and ὁ the ἄργυρος silver κατίωται, has been rusted down, καὶ and ὁ the ἰὸς rust αὐτῶν of them εἰς into μαρτύριον witness ὑμῖν to YOU ἔσται will be καὶ and φάγεται it will eat τὰς the σάρκας fleshes ὑμῶν· of YOU; ὡς as πῦρ fire ἐθησαυρίσατε YOU treasured up ἐν in ἐσχάταις last ἡμέραις. days.

  • James 5:3
    American Standard Version

    • 3 Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.

  • James 5:3
    The Emphasized Bible

    • 3 Your gold and silver have rusted away, And their rust shall be witness against you, And shall eat your flesh as fire! Ye have laid up treasure in days of extremity:—

  • James 5:3
    King James Version

    • 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

  • James Study Notes—Chapter 5
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 5:3

      Your gold and silver have rusted away: Throughout history, the wealthy have prized gold and silver because these metals are rare, durable, and beautiful and they do not rust or corrode as do more common metals, such as iron and copper. (Compare Isa 60:17.) James is using the expression “have rusted away” figuratively, possibly meaning that such riches “have become worthless” or “have decayed.” If rich men chose to hoard such material wealth and to trust in it, they would find that their possessions were as valueless as an iron object that had “rusted away” completely.​—Pr 11:4; Zep 1:18.

      and their rust will be a witness against you: James here warns the rich​—including Christians who should have known better​—to put their riches to good use rather than hoard them selfishly. The figurative “rust” of their “gold and silver” would “be a witness against” them, evidence that they had not used their possessions in an unselfish, generous way. (1Ti 6:17-19) They had failed to apply Jesus’ counsel to store up “treasures in heaven” and to “make friends for [themselves] by means of the unrighteous riches.”​—Mt 6:19-21; Lu 16:9 and study notes.

      What you have stored up will be like a fire in the last days: James here shows that those who kept hoarding their material possessions had stored up nothing of value. So they would have to answer to God for their selfishness and greed. If they failed to respond, they would face God’s righteous anger. Such anger will burn “like a fire in the last days” when God executes judgment against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.​—Heb 10:26, 27; 2Pe 3:7; compare Ro 2:5.