James 2:6 (DRB)

Passage

But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? And do not they draw you before the judgment seats?

Nearby Context

James 2:4 Do you not judge within yourselves, and are become judges of unjust thoughts?

James 2:5 Hearken, my dearest brethren: Hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?

James 2:6 But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you by might? And do not they draw you before the judgment seats?

James 2:7 Do not they blaspheme the good name that is invoked upon you?

James 2:8 If then you fulfil the royal law, according to the scriptures: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; you do well.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "dishonoured", "poor", "rich", "oppress", "might", "draw", "before", and "judgment". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "dishonoured" and "poor", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Hearken my dearest brethren Hath not God..." into verse 7's "Do not they blaspheme the good name...", so "dishonoured" and "poor" belong inside that flow. In James context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "dishonoured" and "poor" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.