12 Now we (A)have not received the spirit of (B)the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.

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12 What we have received is not the spirit(A) of the world,(B) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

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You (A)adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with (B)the world is (C)hostility toward God? (D)Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture (E)says to no purpose, “[a]He [b]jealously desires (F)the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”? But (G)He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “(H)God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (I)Submit therefore to God. But [c](J)resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (K)Come close to God and He will come close to you. (L)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and (M)purify your hearts, you (N)[d]double-minded. (O)Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. 10 (P)Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

11 (Q)Do not speak against one another, (R)brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or (S)judges his brother or sister, speaks against (T)the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not (U)a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one (V)Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is (W)able to save and to destroy; but (X)who are you, [e]judging your neighbor?

13 (Y)Come now, you who say, “(Z)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.” 14 [f]Yet you do not know [g]what your life will be like tomorrow. (AA)For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. 15 [h]Instead, you ought to say, “(AB)If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your [i]arrogance; (AC)all such boasting is evil. 17 So (AD)for one who knows the [j]right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:5 Or The spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy
  2. James 4:5 Lit desires to jealousy
  3. James 4:7 Or oppose
  4. James 4:8 I.e., chronic doubters
  5. James 4:12 Lit the one judging
  6. James 4:14 Lit Who do not
  7. James 4:14 Or what will happen tomorrow. What kind of life is yours?
  8. James 4:15 Lit Instead of your saying
  9. James 4:16 Or pretensions
  10. James 4:17 Or good

You adulterous(A) people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world(B) means enmity against God?(C) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.(D) Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]?(E) But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”[c](F)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,(G) and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.(H) Wash your hands,(I) you sinners, and purify your hearts,(J) you double-minded.(K) Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.(L) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(M)

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.(N) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[d] or judges them(O) speaks against the law(P) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,(Q) but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,(R) the one who is able to save and destroy.(S) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?(T)

Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now listen,(U) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”(V) 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.(W) 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,(X) we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.(Y) 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.(Z)

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:4 An allusion to covenant unfaithfulness; see Hosea 3:1.
  2. James 4:5 Or that the spirit he caused to dwell in us envies intensely; or that the Spirit he caused to dwell in us longs jealously
  3. James 4:6 Prov. 3:34
  4. James 4:11 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.

Do Not Love the World

15 Do not love (A)the world nor the things in the world. (B)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, (C)the lust of the flesh and (D)the lust of the eyes and (E)the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 (F)The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who (G)does the will of God continues to live forever.

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On Not Loving the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world.(A) If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them.(B) 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(C) the lust of the eyes,(D) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away,(E) but whoever does the will of God(F) lives forever.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love

Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who (A)believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

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Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.(A)

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