James 5 · Verse 9

James 5:9

Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

James 5:9, King James Version

James 5:9 in other translations

BSB	Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!
WEB	Don’t grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won’t be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door.
ASV	Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.
YLT	murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood.
DARBY	Complain not one against another, brethren, that ye be not judged. Behold, the judge stands before the door.
BBE	Say no hard things against one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged; see, the judge is waiting at the doors.
Webster	Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

What does James 5:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

9. Grudge not--rather "Murmur not"; "grumble not." The Greek is literally, "groan": a half-suppressed murmur of impatience and harsh judgment, not uttered aloud or freely. Having exhorted them to patience in bearing wrongs from the wicked, he now exhorts them to a forbearing spirit as to the offenses given by brethren. Christians, who bear the former patiently, sometimes are impatient at the latter, though much less grievous. lest ... condemned--The best manuscript authorities read, "judged." James refers to Mt 7:1, "Judge not lest ye be judged." To "murmur against one another" is virtually to judge, and so to become liable to be judged. judge ... before the door--referring to Mt 24:33. The Greek is the same in both passages, and so ought to be translated here as there, "doors," plural. The phrase means "near at hand" (Ge 4:7), which in the oldest interpretations [Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem] is explained, "thy sin is reserved unto the judgment of the world to come." Compare "the everlasting doors" (Psa 24:7, whence He shall come forth). The Lord's coming to destroy Jerusalem is primarily referred to; and ultimately, His coming again visibly to judgment.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 9. Grudge not one against another. Marg., "groan, grieve." The Greek word (στεναζω) means, to sigh, to groan, as of persons in distress, (Rom 8:23;) and then to sigh or groan through impatience, fretfulness, ill-humour; and hence to murmur, to find fault, to complain. The exact idea here is, not that of grudging in the sense of dissatisfaction with what others possess, or of being envious; it is that of being fretful and impatient--or, to use a common word which more exactly expresses the sense, that of grumbling. This may arise from many causes; either because others have advantages which we have not, and we are discontented and unhappy, as if it were wrong in them to have such enjoyments; or because we, without reason, suppose they intend to slight and neglect us; or because we are ready to take offence at any little thing, and to "pick a quarrel" with them. There are some persons who are always grumbling. They have a sour, dissatisfied, discontented temper; they see no excellence in other persons; they are displeased that others are more prospered, honoured, and beloved than they are themselves; they are always complaining of what others do, not because they are injured, but because others seem to them to be weak and foolish; they seem to feel that it becomes them to complain if everything is not done precisely as in their estimation it should be. It is needless to say that this spirit--the offspring of pride--will make any man lead a wretched life; and equally needless to say that it is wholly contrary to the spirit of the gospel. Compare Lk 3:14; Php 4:11; 1Timm 6:8; Heb 13:5.

Lest ye be condemned. That is, for judging others with this spirit-- for this spirit is in fact judging them. Mt 7:1.

Behold, the judge standeth before the door. The Lord Jesus, who is soon to come to judge the world. See Jas 5:8. He is, as it were, even now approaching the door--so near that he can hear all that you say.

(+) "grudge" or, "groan; or grieve" (a) "standeth before the door" Rev 3:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9 Grudge not - Μη στεναζετε· Groan not; grumble not; do not murmur through impatience; and let not any ill treatment which you receive, induce you to vent your feelings in imprecations against your oppressors. Leave all this in the hands of God. Lest ye be condemned - By giving way to a spirit of this kind, you will get under the condemnation of the wicked. The judge standeth before the door - His eye is upon every thing that is wrong in you, and every wrong that is done to you; and he is now entering into judgment with your oppressors.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 5:7-11

Consider him that waits for a crop of corn; and will not you wait for a crown of glory? If you should be called to wait longer than the husbandman, is not there something more worth waiting for? In every sense the coming of the Lord drew nigh, and all his people's losses, hardships, and sufferings, would be repaid. Men count time long, because they measure it by their own lives; but all time is as nothing to God; it…

Read the full comment on James 5:7-11 →

James 5:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μὴmēNotG3361

στενάζετε,stenazetedo grumbleG4727

ἀδελφοί,adelphoibrothersG80

κατ᾽kat᾽againstG2596

ἀλλήλων,allēlōnone anotherG240

ἵναinaso thatG2443

μὴmēnotG3361

κριθῆτε·krithēteyou may be judged;G2919

ἰδοὺidouBeholdG2400

ὁhotheG3588

κριτὴςkritēsJudgeG2923

πρὸprobeforeG4253

τῶνtōntheG3588

θυρῶνthurōndoorsG2374

ἕστηκεν.hestēkenhas been stood.G2476

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for James 5:9

Leviticus 19:18
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
James 4:11
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Galatians 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 7:1-2
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
1 Peter 4:9
Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
Matthew 6:14-15
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 24:33
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Genesis 4:7
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
1 Peter 4:5
Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
Mark 13:29
So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
1 Corinthians 10:11
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Grudge not. or, Groan not, or, grieve not.
4:11; Le 19:18; Ps 59:15; Mr 6:19; *marg:
2Co 9:7; Ga 5:14,26; 1Pe 4:9
lest.
Mt 6:14,15; 7:1,2
the Judge.
Ge 4:7; Mt 24:33; 1Co 4:5; 10:11; Re 3:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

James 5:8
Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
James 5:9
Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
James 5:10
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

Read all of James 5

James 5:9 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Hermanos, no os quejéis unos contra otros, porque no seáis condenados; he aquí, el juez está delante de la puerta.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ne murmurez pas les uns contre les autres, frères, afin que vous ne soyez pas jugés: voici, le juge se tient devant la porte.
German Elberfelder 1871	Seufzet nicht widereinander, Brüder, auf daß ihr nicht gerichtet werdet. Siehe, der Richter steht vor der Tür.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nolite ingemiscere, fratres, in alterutrum, ut non judicemini. Ecce judex ante januam assistit.