But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
English Standard Version (ESV)
James is flipping the script on their expectations: you're honoring the rich who oppress you, while dishonoring the poor whom God chose. He highlights that the very people they're trying to impress are the ones actively making their lives difficult through legal battles and exploitation.
But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
English Standard Version (ESV)
James is calling out the favoritism he's witnessing in the church, where the wealthy are honored while the poor are shamed. He's pointing out the hypocrisy of this behavior by reminding them that it's often these very rich people who unjustly oppress and drag them into legal battles.
When you show favoritism to the rich, who are you really disrespecting? It turns out, it's not just about the person you're looking down on.
James calls out the community for their favoritism towards the wealthy. He uses the strong word 'dishonored' (ἠτιμάσατε) to describe their actions. This isn't just a mild snub; it's an active act of contempt.
Why it Matters:
The rich you're trying to please? They might be the very ones causing you trouble. James lays out their harsh reality.
James doesn't just say the rich are bad; he details how they inflict harm. The Greek words here are powerful:
Ask a follow-up
The Contrast:
James highlights a painful irony: the community is fawning over people who are actively harming them. Instead of earning honor, these rich individuals are demonstrating their hostility through oppression and legal harassment. This exposes the foolishness of seeking favor from those who act unjustly.
Understand the original words
atimazō · Greek Verb
To treat someone with contempt, shame, or lack of proper respect, often disregarding their God-given dignity.
katadynasteuō · Greek Verb
To exercise power cruelly, unjustly, or tyrannically over others, often exploiting those in a weaker position.
blasphēmeō · Greek Verb
To speak irreverently, mockingly, or defiantly against God or that which belongs to Him.
onoma · Greek Noun
Refers specifically to the name of Jesus Christ or the Triune God, which represents His authority, character, and saving presence over believers.
James is directly addressing the early church's practice of favoring wealthy attendees in their gatherings. He reminds them that these same rich individuals are often their oppressors, dragging them into court and persecuting them, making the preferential treatment deeply ironic and harmful.
c. 30s AD— this verse
Early Christian Assemblies Open
In the earliest days of the church, Christian gatherings were often open to outsiders, including non-believers and the wealthy. This allowed for potential interaction and influence, but also vulnerability to disruption and persecution.
c. 30s-40s AD
Jewish Leadership Persecutes Christians
Jewish religious leaders, including the wealthy aristocracy, began to actively persecute early Christians. This included arresting believers and dragging them before various courts and authorities.
c. 40s-50s AD
Roman Provincial Courts Used
In Roman-controlled regions, wealthy individuals or groups could leverage the legal system against Christians. They might drag believers before Roman magistrates, sometimes with the pretense of legal claims but driven by hostility.
c. 50s AD
Paul Condemns Litigation Among Believers
The Apostle Paul addressed issues of believers suing each other in secular courts, highlighting the impropriety of bringing disputes before unbelievers. This suggests a pattern of legal conflict that the early church was grappling with.
This parable highlights the misplaced focus of the rich man on earthly possessions rather than eternal riches, paralleling the theme of valuing material wealth over spiritual integrity that James addresses.
Matthew 20:25-28Jesus' teaching here directly contrasts the oppressive power of worldly rulers with the servant leadership expected in His kingdom, underscoring the inappropriate behavior of the rich that James condemns.
Acts 8:1-3This passage describes Saul's violent persecution of the early church, showing how powerful individuals could 'drag' believers to prison, which aligns with James' description of the rich oppressing believers.
1 Corinthians 6:1-7Paul addresses the issue of believers taking each other to secular courts, which indirectly relates to James' point about the rich dragging believers before judgment seats, highlighting the shame this brings to the community.
Amos 2:6-7The prophet Amos condemns the rich for oppressing the poor and selling them into slavery, echoing James' concern about the injustice and abuse that wealth can facilitate against the vulnerable.
ellicottJames 2:6: "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?"
(6) But ye have despised the poor. —Better, ye dishonoured the poor man — i.e. , when, as already mentioned ( James 2:2-3 ), you exalted the rich unto the “good place” of your synagogue. Thus whom God had called and chosen, you refused. “It is unworthy,” observes Calvin on this passage, “to cast down those whom God lifts up, and to treat them shamefully whom He vouchsafes to honour.…
vincentJames 2:6: "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?"
Despised (ἠτιμάσατε)Not strong enough. They had manifested their contempt; had done despite to them. Rev., correctly, dishonored. From the use of the aorist tense, ye dishonored, which the A. V. and Rev. render as a perfect, ye have dishonored, the reference would appear to be to a specific act like that described in James 2:2, James 2:3.Oppress (καταδυναστεύουσιν)Only here and Ac…
James is flipping the script on their expectations: you're honoring the rich who oppress you, while dishonoring the poor whom God chose. He highlights that the very people they're trying to impress are the ones actively making their lives difficult through legal battles and exploitation.
James is calling out the favoritism he's witnessing in the church, where the wealthy are honored while the poor are shamed. He's pointing out the hypocrisy of this behavior by reminding them that it's often these very rich people who unjustly oppress and drag them into legal battles.
James is calling out the favoritism he's witnessing in the church, where the wealthy are honored while the poor are shamed. He's pointing out the hypocrisy of this behavior by reminding them that it's often these very rich people who unjustly oppress and drag them into legal battles.
"But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?" — James is flipping the script on their expectations: you're honoring the rich who oppress you, while dishonoring the poor whom God chose. He highlights that the very people they're trying to impre…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026