James 2:5
in James 2Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?
KJV
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
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This verse in James 2
Commentary
17 notes on this verseA commentator
BonaventureDisputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 2 · Written in the 13th century.
Likewise, on that passage of James: Has not God chosen the poor; the Gloss says: "He chose poor parents, by whose service He would be raised"; but the destitution of Christ's parents was very great, according to that passage of Luke 2: She wrapped Him …
This site's exposition
Has not God chosen the poor
on James 2:5-7
Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom, the Lord's first beatitude. The churches honored the rich who oppress you and drag you into court and blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Hilary of ArlesINTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES · Written before 449.
proposed
Some people say that this is meant to be a comfort to the poor whohave been thrown out of the houses of the rich or who dwell in inferior accommodations. Even if they are poor in material things, they may be rich in faith.
A commentator
Augustine of HippoON THE PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 17 (34) · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
It is by choosing the poor that God makes them rich in faith, just as he makes them heirs of the kingdom. It is rightly said that he chose this faith in them, since it was in order to bring it about that he chose them.
The apostle's testimony is a very serious matter. Do the nobility think that they are immune from his strictures, because he referred only to the rich and not to the noble as well? But there is so great an overlap between these two groups in …
Listen, my beloved brothers: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him? Since poverty is a serious matter for many, when James said, "the poor …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Listen, my beloved brothers. He says, pay closer attention, because those who are richer in the world are not necessarily better in the divine judgment.
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Has not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? He calls the poor, humble, and those who, through contempt of visible things, but faith in invisible riches, are despicable …
Since for many it is hard even to hear about poverty, having said "the poor of this world," he immediately added: "rich." Rich in what? In faith. For the undisturbed peace of the poor, when they come to faith, makes them mightier than the rich. …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Does not the presumption lie rather in favour of the poor man? Hath not God chosen the poor - That is, are not they whom God hath chosen, generally speaking, poor in this world? who yet are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom - Consequently, the most honourable of men: and those whom God so highly honours, ought not ye to honour likewise?
In this sin there is shameful partiality: Are you not then partial in yourselves? The question is here put, as what could not fail of being answered by every man's conscience that would put it seriously to himself. According to the strict rendering of the original, the question is, " Have you not made a difference?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Hearken, my beloved brethren,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
1Co 1:26, 27, 28). rich in faith--Their riches consist in faith. Lu 12:21, "rich toward God." 1Ti 6:18, "rich in good works" (Re 2:9; compare 2Co 8:9). Christ's poverty is the source of the believer's riches. kingdom . . . promised-- (Lu 12:32;
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world - This seems to refer to Mat 11:5: And the poor have the Gospel preached to them. These believed on the Lord Jesus, and found his salvation; while the rich despised, neglected, and persecuted him. These had that faith in Christ which put them in possession of the choicest spiritual blessings, and gave them a right to the kingdom of heaven. While, therefore, they were despised of men, they were highly prized of God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hearken, my beloved brethren - The apostle now proceeds to show that the rich, as such, had no special claim on their favor, and that the poor in fact might be made more entitled to esteem than they were. For a view of the arguments by which he does this, compare the analysis of the chapter. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world? - Those who are poor so far as this world is concerned, or those who have not wealth.
Modern Voices2 voices
This mere belief in bodily humanitarianism is not sentimental; it is simply snobbish. For if comfort gives men virtue, the comfortable classes ought to be virtuous—which is absurd.
But there were in the play two great human ideas which the mediaeval mind never lost its grip on, through the heaviest nightmares of its dissolution. They were the two great jokes of mediaevalism, as they are the two eternal jokes of mankind. Wherever those …
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀκούσατε, | akousate | do listen, | G191 → | 425 times |
| ἀδελφοί | adelphoi | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀγαπητοί, | agapetoi | beloved, | G27 → | 61 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | Not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐξελέξατο | exelexato | has chosen | G1586 → | |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πτωχοὺς | ptochous | poor | G4434 → | 34 times |
| τῷ | to | in the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κόσμῳ | kosmo | world | G2889 → | 185 times |
| πλουσίους | plousious | [to be] rich | G4145 → | 28 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πίστει | pistei | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κληρονόμους | kleronomous | heirs | G2818 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλείας | basileias | kingdom | G932 → | |
| ἧς | hes | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐπηγγείλατο | epengeilato | He promised | G1861 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | to those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγαπῶσιν | agaposin | loving | G25 → | 143 times |
| αὐτόν; | auton | Him? | G846 → | 5565 times |
ἀκούσατε,do listen,
akousateG191 →425 times
ἀδελφοίbrothers
adelphoiG80 →343 times
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
ἀγαπητοί,beloved,
agapetoiG27 →61 times
οὐχNot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ἐξελέξατοhas chosen
exelexatoG1586 →
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
πτωχοὺςpoor
ptochousG4434 →34 times
τῷin the
toG3588 →19766 times
κόσμῳworld
kosmoG2889 →185 times
πλουσίους[to be] rich
plousiousG4145 →28 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
πίστειfaith
pisteiG4102 →242 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κληρονόμουςheirs
kleronomousG2818 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
βασιλείαςkingdom
basileiasG932 →
ἧςthat
hesG3739 →1405 times
ἐπηγγείλατοHe promised
epengeilatoG1861 →
τοῖςto those
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀγαπῶσινloving
agaposinG25 →143 times
αὐτόν;Him?
autonG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
it leads to
- Isaiah 66:2
Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles…
- Proverbs 29:23
A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
- Psalms 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
- Proverbs 16:19
It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
- Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Isaiah 66:2
Through
2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
it leads to
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- Philippians 2:6–8
Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
- Matthew 20:28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
- Romans 8:32
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About James
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON THE PREDESTINATION OF THE SAINTS 17 (34); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Bonaventure, Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 2; GK Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles, The Travellers in State (1909); GK Chesterton, Alarms and Discursions, A Drama of Dolls (1910); Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James; Salvian the Presbyter, ON THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 3.10 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.