King James Bible
"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:"
James addresses believers who are poor or of humble social status, using 'brother' to emphasize their full membership in God's family. In the stratified Greco-Roman world, such people faced daily reminders of their lowly position. Despite earthly disadvantages, these believers should celebrate their elevated spiritual status in Christ. This reversal of values—where the poor are lifted high in God's kingdom—echoes Jesus' teaching about the first being last and reflects James's consistent theme of God's counter-cultural economy.