You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text doesn't just tell us to be patient and firm because Jesus is coming back, but that this "coming" is so near it's practically "at hand" – a phrase used for urgent, immediate events. This closeness isn't about a distant future date, but a present reality that should infuse today with hope and steadfastness, acting as a powerful anchor for our hearts amidst suffering.
You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
James has just urged his readers to be patient, using the farmer awaiting a harvest as an example, especially in light of the rich oppressing the poor. Now, he exhorts them to strengthen their hearts and endure, because the ultimate deliverance—the Lord's return—is drawing very near. This nearness is presented as the ultimate motivation for steadfastness and courage amidst their trials.
James calls us to be patient, but this isn't a passive waiting game. It's an active posture of trust.
James urges his readers to be "patient" (long-suffering) and "establish your hearts." This isn't about simply enduring hardship, but about holding onto a steadfast hope grounded in the ultimate justice of God. The reason for this patience? "The coming of the Lord is at hand." This wasn't just about a future event, but a present reality that would bring God's decisive intervention. It meant that a heavenly court of appeal was near, where all earthly injustices would be rectified. This truth provides the strength to persevere through trials, knowing that God sees and will act.
Our hearts can waver under pressure, but James gives us a powerful anchor for stability.
The phrase 'establish your hearts' is a call to actively strengthen and solidify our inner resolve. It's not about God doing all the work for us; rather, it's about us engaging with the truth of God's promises. This strengthening comes from fixing our hope on the 'coming of the Lord.' This expectation isn't meant to be a passive, far-off hope, but a continuous state of expectancy. The original Greek suggests that the Lord's presence or arrival is not just imminent, but already drawing near. This active anticipation serves to steady our hearts amidst troubles, reminding us that our present struggles are temporary in light of His eternal reign.
Understand the original words
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stērixate · Greek Verb
The act of strengthening, fixing, or setting someone firmly in their resolve or faith, often in preparation for a spiritual challenge.
The immediacy of 'the coming of the Lord' in James's letter likely referred to the imminent destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70, a divine judgment that would bring both devastation and a radical reordering for God's people.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem, and the early Christian community believes He is resurrected and will soon return.
c. AD 49— this verse
James' Epistle Likely Written
James writes his letter to the 'twelve tribes scattered among the nations,' likely addressing Jewish Christians facing hardship and persecution.
c. AD 62
James Martyred
According to historical accounts, James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church, is martyred in Jerusalem.
AD 66-70
First Jewish-Roman War
The First Jewish-Roman War breaks out, leading to immense suffering and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple.
AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Roman forces under Titus completely destroy Jerusalem and its Second Temple, a catastrophic event for the Jewish people and a significant turning point for early Christianity.
This passage directly addresses the disciples' question about the signs of the end of the age and the coming of the Lord, echoing James' urgency about its nearness.
1 Peter 4:7Peter also calls for soberness and watchfulness, stating that 'the end of all things is at hand,' a sentiment that aligns perfectly with James' exhortation to patience and steadfastness.
Hebrews 10:36This verse reminds believers that they 'need to persevere so that when they have done the will of God, they may receive what has been promised,' highlighting the endurance required until God's promises are fulfilled, similar to James' call.
Isaiah 40:31This Old Testament promise speaks of those who wait on the Lord renewing their strength, soaring on wings like eagles, a powerful image of the endurance and hope that comes from a steadfast heart awaiting divine intervention.
Revelation 22:20The very last words of the Bible, 'He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon,"' serve as a powerful confirmation of the Lord's imminent return, reinforcing the encouragement found in James.
ellicottJames 5:8: "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
(8) The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. —Read thus, The presence of the Lord is nigh. For the ancient belief in the nearness of Christ’s second advent, see Note above, in James 5:3 . The word used by the Apostle to describe its closeness is the same as that used in Matthew 3:2 , “The kingdom of heaven is at hand ” The afflicted are therefore to establish, or rather strengthen, their hearts. If “comf…
clarkeJames 5:8: "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
Be ye also patient - Wait for God's deliverance, as ye wait for his bounty in providence. Stablish your hearts - Take courage; do not sink under your trials. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh - Ηγγικε· Is at hand. He is already on his way to destroy this wicked people, to raze their city and temple, and to destroy their polity for ever; and this judgment will soon take place.
The text doesn't just tell us to be patient and firm because Jesus is coming back, but that this "coming" is so near it's practically "at hand" – a phrase used for urgent, immediate events. This closeness isn't about a distant future date, but a present reality that should infuse today with hope and steadfastness, acting as a powerful anchor for our hearts amidst suffering.
James has just urged his readers to be patient, using the farmer awaiting a harvest as an example, especially in light of the rich oppressing the poor. Now, he exhorts them to strengthen their hearts and endure, because the ultimate deliverance—the Lord's return—is drawing very near. This nearness is presented as the ultimate motivation for steadfastness and courage amidst their trials.
James has just urged his readers to be patient, using the farmer awaiting a harvest as an example, especially in light of the rich oppressing the poor. Now, he exhorts them to strengthen their hearts and endure, because the ultimate deliverance—the Lord's return—is drawing very near. This nearness is presented as the ultimate motivation for steadfastness and courage amidst their trials.
"You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." — The text doesn't just tell us to be patient and firm because Jesus is coming back, but that this "coming" is so near it's practically "at hand" – a phrase used for urgent, immediate events. This clos…
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Last reviewed October 2026