Jas 5:1
5:1 Go {1} to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your
    miseries that shall come upon [you].

 (1) He denounces utter destruction to the wicked and profane
     rich men, and such as are drowned in their riotousness,
     mocking their foolish confidence when there is
     nothing indeed more vain than such things.

Jas 5:4
5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your
    fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the
    cries of them which have reaped are entered into the {a}
    ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

    (a) The Lord who is more mighty than ye are, hath heard
        them.

Jas 5:5
5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye
    have {b} nourished your hearts, as in a {c} day of
    slaughter.

    (b) You have pampered yourselves.
    (c) The Hebrews call a day that is appointed to solemn
        banqueting, a day of slaughter or feasting.

Jas 5:7
5:7 {2} Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
    Lord.  {3} Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious
    fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he
    receive the early and latter rain.

 (2) He applies that to the poor, which he spoke against the
     rich, warning them to wait for the Lord's coming patiently,
     who will avenge the injuries which the rich men do to them.
 (3) The taking away of an objection: Although his coming seems
     to linger, yet at the least we must follow the farmer, we
     who do patiently wait for the times that are fitting for
     the fruits of the earth.  And again, God will not postpone
     the least bit of the time that he has appointed.

Jas 5:9
5:9 {4} {d} Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be
    condemned: {5} behold, the judge standeth before the door.

 (4) He commends Christian patience, for that which others
     through impatience use to accuse one another, the faithful
     on the other hand, do not complain though they receive
     injury.
    (d) By grudging he means a certain inward complaining which
        indicates impatience.
 (5) The conclusion: The Lord is at the door and will defend his
     own and avenge his enemies, and therefore we do not need to
     trouble ourselves.

Jas 5:10
5:10 {6} Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the
     name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction,
     and of patience.

 (6) Because most men will object, that it is good to repel
     injuries by whatever means, he contrasts that with the
     examples of the fathers whose patience had a most happy
     end, because God as a most bountiful Father, never forsakes
     his.

Jas 5:11
5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of
     the patience of Job, and have seen the {e} end of the Lord;
     that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

     (e) What end the Lord gave.

Jas 5:12
5:12 {7} But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither
     by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath:
     but let {f} your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye
     fall into condemnation.

 (7) Because even the best men sometimes through impatience
     slip and speak oaths sometimes lesser, sometimes greater,
     the apostle warns us to detest such wickedness, and to
     accustom our tongues to simple and true talk.

Jas 5:13
5:13 {8} Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry?
     let him sing psalms.

 (8) He shows the best remedy against all afflictions, that is,
     prayers which have their place both in sorrow and joy.

Jas 5:14
5:14 {9} Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of
     the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with
     {g} oil in the {h} name of the Lord:

  {9} He shows peculiarly, to what physicians especially we must
      go when we are diseased, that is, to the prayers of the
      elders, which then also could cure the body, (for so much
      as the gift of healing was then in force) and take away
      the main cause of sickness and diseases, by obtaining
      healing for the sick through their prayers and
      exhortations.
     (g) This was a sign of the gift of healing: and now seeing
         we have the gift no more, the sign is no longer
         necessary.
     (h) By calling on the name of the Lord.

Jas 5:15
5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord
     shall raise him up; and if he have committed {i} sins, they
     shall be forgiven him.

     (i) He has reason in making mention of sins, for diseases
         are often sent because of sins.

Jas 5:16
5:16 {10} Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for
     another, that ye may be healed. {11} The effectual fervent
     prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 (10) Because God pardons the sins of those who confess and
      acknowledge them, and not those who justify themselves.
      Therefore the apostle adds, we ought to freely confer with
      one another concerning those inward diseases, that we may
      help one another with our prayers.

 (11) He commends prayers by the effects that come of them, that
      all men may understand that there is nothing more
      effectual than they are, so that they proceed from a pure
      mind.

Jas 5:19
5:19 {12} Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one
     {k} convert him;

 (12) The taking away of an objection: all rebukes are not
      condemned, seeing that on the contrary there is nothing
      more acceptable to God than to call into the holy way, a
      brother that was wandering out of the way.
     (k) Has called him back from his way.