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)

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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.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

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