James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."

◄ James 4:13 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."

English Standard Version
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—

New American Standard Bible
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."

King James Bible
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit."

International Standard Version
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town, stay there a year, conduct business, and make money."

American Standard Version
Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now you that say: To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and there we will spend a year, and will traffic, and make our gain.

Darby Bible Translation
Go to now, ye who say, To-day or to-morrow will we go into such a city and spend a year there, and traffic and make gain,

Young's Literal Translation
Go, now, ye who are saying, 'To-day and to-morrow we will go on to such a city, and will pass there one year, and traffic, and make gain;'

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

4:11-17 Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. Christians are brethren. And to break God's commands, is to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they laid too great a restraint upon us. We have the law of God, which is a rule to all; let us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule to those about us, and let us be careful that we be not condemned of the Lord. Go to now, is a call to any one to consider his conduct as being wrong. How apt worldly and contriving men are to leave God out of their plans! How vain it is to look for any thing good without God's blessing and guidance! The frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life, ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all projects for futurity. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising and setting to-morrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapour being scattered. So short, unreal, and fading is human life, and all the prosperity or enjoyment that attends it; though bliss or woe for ever must be according to our conduct during this fleeting moment. We are always to depend on the will of God. Our times are not in our own hands, but at the disposal of God. Our heads may be filled with cares and contrivances for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Providence often throws our plans into confusion. All we design, and all we do, should be with submissive dependence on God. It is foolish, and it is hurtful, to boast of worldly things and aspiring projects; it will bring great disappointment, and will prove destruction in the end. Omissions are sins which will be brought into judgment, as well as commissions. He that does not the good he knows should be done, as well as he who does the evil he knows should not be done, will be condemned. Oh that we were as careful not to omit prayer, and not to neglect to meditate and examine our consciences, as we are not to commit gross outward vices against light!

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. Go to now—"Come now"; said to excite attention.

ye that say—boasting of the morrow.

To-day or to-morrow—as if ye had the free choice of either day as a certainty. Others read, "To-day and to-morrow."

such a city—literally, "this the city" (namely, the one present to the mind of the speaker). This city here.

continue … a year—rather, "spend one year." Their language implies that when this one year is out, they purpose similarly settling plans for to come [Bengel].

buy and sell—Their plans for the future are all worldly.