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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>James 5:2 Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/james/5-2.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/10/59_Jas_05_02.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="James 5:2 - Warning to the Rich" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes." /><script type="application/javascript" 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align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad2.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/james/5-1.htm" title="James 5:1">◄</a> James 5:2 <a href="/james/5-3.htm" title="James 5:3">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/james/5.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/james/5.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/james/5.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/james/5.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/james/5.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/james/5.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/james/5.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/james/5.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/james/5.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/james/5.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/james/5.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/james/5.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/james/5.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Your wealth has rotted <i>and</i> is ruined and your [fine] clothes have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/james/5.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/james/5.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Your wealth is ruined and your clothes are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/james/5.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/james/5.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Your treasures have already rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/james/5.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/james/5.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Your riches have decayed, and your clothes have been eaten by moths.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/james/5.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted away, and your clothes have been eaten by moths. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/james/5.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Your riches are rotten, your clothes have been eaten by moths, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/james/5.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/james/5.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/james/5.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/james/5.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/james/5.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />Your treasures have rotted, and your piles of clothing are moth-eaten;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/james/5.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/james/5.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/james/5.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/james/5.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/james/5.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />Your riches have become corrupted, and your garments have been moth eaten;<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/james/5.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/james/5.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Your riches have been corrupted, and your garments have been eaten by moths.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/james/5.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/james/5.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/james/5.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />Your riches are destroyed and rotted, and your garments are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/james/5.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />For your wealth is decayed and stinks, and your garments are eaten by moths.<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/james/5.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />Your wealth is corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/james/5.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments have become moth-eaten:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/james/5.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />Your wealth is corrupted, and your robes are moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/james/5.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />your wealth is wasted, your wardrobe is devour'd by the worm,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/james/5.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />Your treasures have rotted, and your piles of clothing are moth-eaten;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/james/5.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br />Your wealth has become corrupted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/james/5.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br />Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/james/5-2.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0xUBCzqsAGw?start=813" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/james/5.htm">Warning to the Rich</a></span><br><span class="reftext">1</span>Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. <span class="reftext">2</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/4771.htm" title="4771: hymōn (PPro-G2P) -- You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.">Your</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: ho (Art-NMS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/4149.htm" title="4149: ploutos (N-NMS) -- From the base of pletho; wealth, i.e. money, possessions, or abundance, richness, valuable bestowment.">riches</a> <a href="/greek/4595.htm" title="4595: sesēpen (V-RIA-3S) -- To cause to rot, make corrupt. Apparently a primary verb; to putrefy, i.e. perish.">have rotted</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/1096.htm" title="1096: gegonen (V-RIA-3S) -- A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude."></a> <a href="/greek/4598.htm" title="4598: sētobrōta (Adj-NNP) -- Moth-eaten. From ses and a derivative of bibrosko; moth-eaten.">moths have eaten</a> <a href="/greek/4771.htm" title="4771: hymōn (PPro-G2P) -- You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.">your</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: ta (Art-NNP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/2440.htm" title="2440: himatia (N-NNP) -- A long flowing outer garment, tunic. Neuter of a presumed derivative of ennumi; a dress.">clothes.</a> </span> <span class="reftext">3</span>Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/6-19.htm">Matthew 6:19-20</a></span><br />Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/12-33.htm">Luke 12:33-34</a></span><br />Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_timothy/6-17.htm">1 Timothy 6:17-19</a></span><br />Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. / Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, / treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/19-21.htm">Matthew 19:21</a></span><br />Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/16-19.htm">Luke 16:19-31</a></span><br />Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. / And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores / and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-16.htm">Revelation 18:16-17</a></span><br />saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! / For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/23-4.htm">Proverbs 23:4-5</a></span><br />Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. / When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ecclesiastes/5-13.htm">Ecclesiastes 5:13-14</a></span><br />There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, / or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/51-8.htm">Isaiah 51:8</a></span><br />For the moth will devour them like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, My salvation through all generations.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/7-19.htm">Ezekiel 7:19</a></span><br />They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zephaniah/1-18.htm">Zephaniah 1:18</a></span><br />Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/13-28.htm">Job 13:28</a></span><br />So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/6-24.htm">Matthew 6:24</a></span><br />No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/12-15.htm">Luke 12:15</a></span><br />And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_john/2-15.htm">1 John 2:15-17</a></span><br />Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.</p><p class="hdg">Your riches.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/jeremiah/17-11.htm">Jeremiah 17:11</a></b></br> <i>As</i> the partridge sitteth <i>on eggs</i>, and hatcheth <i>them</i> not; <i>so</i> he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/matthew/6-19.htm">Matthew 6:19,20</a></b></br> Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/luke/12-33.htm">Luke 12:33</a></b></br> Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.</p><p class="hdg">your garments.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/james/2-2.htm">James 2:2</a></b></br> For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/job/13-28.htm">Job 13:28</a></b></br> And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/39-11.htm">Psalm 39:11</a></b></br> When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man <i>is</i> vanity. Selah.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/james/2-15.htm">Clothes</a> <a href="/james/2-15.htm">Clothing</a> <a href="/titus/1-15.htm">Corrupted</a> <a href="/2_thessalonians/3-8.htm">Eaten</a> <a href="/acts/22-23.htm">Garments</a> <a href="/hebrews/11-38.htm">Holes</a> <a href="/nahum/3-17.htm">Insects</a> <a href="/job/13-28.htm">Moth-Eaten</a> <a href="/isaiah/50-9.htm">Moths</a> <a href="/habakkuk/2-6.htm">Piles</a> <a href="/hebrews/11-26.htm">Riches</a> <a href="/exodus/16-20.htm">Rotted</a> <a href="/luke/6-43.htm">Rotten</a> <a href="/hebrews/11-26.htm">Treasures</a> <a href="/james/3-6.htm">Unclean</a> <a href="/james/5-1.htm">Wealth</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/revelation/3-4.htm">Clothes</a> <a href="/1_peter/3-3.htm">Clothing</a> <a href="/jude/1-10.htm">Corrupted</a> <a href="/james/5-3.htm">Eaten</a> <a href="/revelation/3-4.htm">Garments</a> <a href="/genesis/14-10.htm">Holes</a> <a href="/exodus/8-16.htm">Insects</a> <a href="/job/13-28.htm">Moth-Eaten</a> <a href="/job/13-28.htm">Moths</a> <a href="/2_kings/10-8.htm">Piles</a> <a href="/2_peter/2-3.htm">Riches</a> <a href="/james/5-3.htm">Rotted</a> <a href="/job/13-28.htm">Rotten</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-34.htm">Treasures</a> <a href="/1_peter/5-2.htm">Unclean</a> <a href="/james/5-3.htm">Wealth</a><div class="vheading2">James 5</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/james/5-1.htm">Rich oppressors are to fear God's vengeance.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">7. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/james/5-7.htm">We ought to be patient in afflictions, after the example of the prophets, and Job;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">12. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/james/5-12.htm">to forbear swearing;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/james/5-13.htm">to pray in adversity, to sing in prosperity;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">14. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/james/5-14.htm">to acknowledge mutually our several faults, to pray one for another;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">19. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/james/5-19.htm">and to correct a straying brother.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/james/5.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/james/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/james/5.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Your riches have rotted</b><br>This phrase highlights the transient nature of material wealth. In biblical times, wealth was often measured in terms of agricultural produce, livestock, and stored goods, which were susceptible to decay and spoilage. The imagery of rotting riches serves as a stark reminder of the impermanence of earthly possessions. This echoes Jesus' teaching in <a href="/matthew/6-19.htm">Matthew 6:19-20</a>, where He advises storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth, where moth and rust destroy. The rotting of riches symbolizes the futility of placing trust in material wealth, which can be lost or devalued over time.<p><b>and moths have eaten your clothes.</b><br>In the ancient world, clothing was a significant indicator of wealth and status. Fine garments were treasured possessions, often passed down through generations. Moths eating clothes signifies the vulnerability and fleeting nature of even the most prized material goods. This imagery is consistent with the warnings found in <a href="/isaiah/51-8.htm">Isaiah 51:8</a>, where the prophet speaks of moths consuming garments as a metaphor for the temporary nature of human achievements and pride. The reference to moths also connects to the broader biblical theme of divine judgment against those who prioritize earthly wealth over spiritual riches. This serves as a call to repentance and a reminder of the eternal value found in a life devoted to God.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/j/james.htm">James</a></b><br>The author of the epistle, traditionally identified as James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Jerusalem church. He writes with authority and pastoral concern for the believers.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/w/wealthy_landowners.htm">Wealthy Landowners</a></b><br>The primary audience of this passage, likely wealthy individuals within the early Christian community who were exploiting their workers and hoarding wealth.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/e/early_christian_church.htm">Early Christian Church</a></b><br>The broader context in which this letter was circulated, addressing issues of faith, works, and social justice within the community.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_temporary_nature_of_earthly_wealth.htm">The Temporary Nature of Earthly Wealth</a></b><br>Earthly riches are fleeting and subject to decay. Believers should focus on eternal treasures rather than temporary material wealth.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_dangers_of_materialism.htm">The Dangers of Materialism</a></b><br>Accumulating wealth for its own sake can lead to spiritual decay. Christians are called to use their resources for God's kingdom and the benefit of others.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/a/accountability_for_wealth.htm">Accountability for Wealth</a></b><br>Wealth comes with responsibility. Believers should be mindful of how they acquire and use their resources, ensuring they do not exploit others or neglect the needy.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/l/living_with_eternal_perspective.htm">Living with Eternal Perspective</a></b><br>Christians are encouraged to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual growth and service over material accumulation.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_james_5.htm">Top 10 Lessons from James 5</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/where_to_store_true_treasures.htm">Where should you store your true treasures?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_on_saving.htm">What does the Bible say about saving money?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_aren't_james_5_1-3_warnings_on_the_rich_supported_by_history.htm">In James 5:1-3, why are the warnings against the rich not corroborated by historical evidence showing that many wealthy individuals also contributed positively to society?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_does_god_allow_wealth_inequality.htm">Proverbs 22:2: How can a just God create both rich and poor yet allow extreme wealth inequality to persist?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/james/5.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(2) <span class= "bld">Your riches are corrupted . . .</span>--As expanded in the eloquent gloss of Bishop Wordsworth, "Your wealth is mouldering in corruption, and your garments, stored up in vain superfluity, are become moth-eaten: although they may still glitter brightly in your eyes, and may dazzle men by their brilliance, yet they are in fact already cankered; they are loathsome in God's sight; the Divine anger has breathed upon them and blighted them; they are already withered and blasted." (Comp. <a href="/matthew/6-19.htm" title="Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust does corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:">Matthew 6:19</a>.)<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/james/5.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 2.</span> <span class="accented">- Description of the miseries that are coming upon them.</span> The perfects (<span class="greek">σέσηπε</span>... <span class="greek">γέγονεν</span>) are probably to be explained as "prophetic," in accordance with a common Hebrew idiom (see Driver on the 'Tenses of the Hebrew Verb,' § 14; and cf. Winer, 'Grammar of New Testament Greek,' p. 342: "The perfect does not stand for a present or future, but the case indicated by the apostle in <span class="greek">ταλαιπωρίαις ὑμῶν ταῖς</span> <span class="greek">εηπερχομέναις</span> is viewed as already present, and consequently the <span class="greek">σήπειν</span> of the riches as already completed"). For an instance of the prophetic perfect, used as here after <span class="greek">ὀλούζείν</span>, see <a href="/isaiah/23-1.htm">Isaiah 23:1, 14</a>," Howl.... for your stronghold <span class="accented">has been wasted."</span> The miseries coming upon the rich are thus announced to be the destruction of everything in virtue of which they were styled rich. Their costly garments, in a great store of which the wealth of an Eastern largely consists, should become moth-eaten. Their gold and silver should be rusted. Bengel notes on this passage: "Scripta haec suut paucis annis ante obsidionem Hierosolymorum;" and certainly the best commentary upon it is to be found in the terrible account given by Josephus of the sufferings and miseries which came upon the Jews during the war and siege of Jerusalem. The Jewish historian has become the unconscious witness to the fulfillment of the prophecies of our Lord and his apostle. <span class="greek">Σέσηπεν</span>: only here in the New Testament; in the LXX., <a href="/job/16-7.htm">Job 16:7</a>. <span class="greek">Σητόβρωτα</span> is also an <span class="greek">ἄπαξ λεγόμενον</span> in the New Testament; in LXX. used also of garments in <a href="/job/13-28.htm">Job 13:28</a>. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/james/5-2.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">Your</span><br /><span class="grk">ὑμῶν</span> <span class="translit">(hymōn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4771.htm">Strong's 4771: </a> </span><span class="str2">You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">riches</span><br /><span class="grk">πλοῦτος</span> <span class="translit">(ploutos)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4149.htm">Strong's 4149: </a> </span><span class="str2">From the base of pletho; wealth, i.e. money, possessions, or abundance, richness, valuable bestowment.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">have rotted</span><br /><span class="grk">σέσηπεν</span> <span class="translit">(sesēpen)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4595.htm">Strong's 4595: </a> </span><span class="str2">To cause to rot, make corrupt. Apparently a primary verb; to putrefy, i.e. perish.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and</span><br /><span class="grk">καὶ</span> <span class="translit">(kai)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> </span><span class="str2">And, even, also, namely. </span><br /><br /><span class="word">moths have eaten</span><br /><span class="grk">σητόβρωτα</span> <span class="translit">(sētobrōta)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4598.htm">Strong's 4598: </a> </span><span class="str2">Moth-eaten. From ses and a derivative of bibrosko; moth-eaten.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">your</span><br /><span class="grk">ὑμῶν</span> <span class="translit">(hymōn)</span><br /><span class="parse">Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4771.htm">Strong's 4771: </a> </span><span class="str2">You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">clothes.</span><br /><span class="grk">ἱμάτια</span> <span class="translit">(himatia)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2440.htm">Strong's 2440: </a> </span><span class="str2">A long flowing outer garment, tunic. Neuter of a presumed derivative of ennumi; a dress.</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/james/5-2.htm">James 5:2 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/james/5-2.htm">NT Letters: James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted and your garments (Ja Jas. Jam) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/james/5-1.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="James 5:1"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="James 5:1" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/james/5-3.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="James 5:3"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="James 5:3" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>