James 2:6 (KJV)

Passage

But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Nearby Context

James 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

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

James 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

James 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "despised", "poor", "rich", "oppress", "draw", "before", "judgment", and "seats". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "despised" 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 beloved brethren Hath not God..." into verse 7's "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name...", so "despised" 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 "despised" and "poor" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.