Verse of the Day 1.14.18: James 5:8

Verse of the Day 1.14.18: James 5:8

Text
C4C Translation
Memorization

Text

8 μακροθυμήσατε καὶ ὑμεῖς, στηρίξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἡ παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου ἤγγικεν¹

8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.²

Today C4C, is studying James 5:7-12.

C4C Translation

For you also, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Coming of the Lord is near.

Strengthen Your Hearts

Although the NIV reads “stand firm,” the more literal translation is strengthen your hearts. Sometimes it is useful to translate metaphorical phrases into words modern readers can understand. Nonetheless, I think strengthen your hearts is pretty straightforward.

The verb στηρίζω (stērizō), in this case, most likely means “to cause to be inwardly firm or committed, confirm, establish, strengthen.”³ I was even tempted to use the word reinforce or fortify.

Keeping the original metaphor intact seems rather important, given that Paul uses the same figurative language when encouraging the Thessalonians who were also awaiting the Parousia — the Second Coming of Christ (1 Thess 3:13; cf. 2 Thess. 2:17). Moreover, the author(s) of Hebrews also uses similar language when exhorting believers to fortify themselves against false teaching (Heb 13:9).⁴

Using heart in this verse also recalls the earlier occurrences of the word in this letter. James says double-minded believers deceive their hearts (Jas 1:26, though “heart” is again not translated by the NIV). Those who are self-deceived are also told to “purify their hearts” (Jas 4:8), lest they be fattened for the day of slaughter (Jas 5:5).⁵

All in all, as one scholar writes, in this verse, “what is commanded, then, is a firm adherence to the faith in the midst of temptations and trials. As they wait patiently for their Lord to return, believers need to fortify themselves for the struggle against sin and with difficult circumstances.”⁶

Memorization

Memorize James 5:8 after watching a brief video tutorial demonstrating the How to Memorize Any Bible Verse in Less Than Five Minutes method below:

Sources

Barbara Aland et al., eds., The Greek New Testament, Fifth Revised Edition (Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2014), Jas 5:8.
The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jas 5:8.
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 945.
Douglas J. Moo, James: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 174.
Kurt A. Richardson, James, vol. 36, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997), 220.
Douglas J. Moo, James: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 174.