Things to Avoid

[a]What is the source of quarrels and (A)conflicts among you? [b]Is the source not your pleasures that wage (B)war in [c]your body’s parts? You lust and do not have, so you (C)commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and (D)do not receive, because you ask [d]with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request [e]on your pleasures. You (E)adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with (F)the world is (G)hostility toward God? (H)Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture (I)says to no purpose, “[f]He [g]jealously desires (J)the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”? But (K)He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “(L)God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (M)Submit therefore to God. But [h](N)resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (O)Come close to God and He will come close to you. (P)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and (Q)purify your hearts, you (R)[i]double-minded. (S)Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. 10 (T)Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

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

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

Misuse of Riches

(AI)Come now, (AJ)you rich people, (AK)weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. (AL)Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will [p]serve as a testimony against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is (AM)in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, (AN)the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and (AO)the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of (AP)the Lord [q]of armies. You have [r](AQ)lived for pleasure on the earth and lived luxuriously; you have [s]fattened your hearts in (AR)a day of slaughter. You have condemned and [t](AS)put to death (AT)the righteous person; he offers you no resistance.

Exhortation

Therefore be patient, (AU)brothers and sisters, (AV)until the coming of the Lord. (AW)The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [u]it gets (AX)the early and late rains. (AY)You too be patient; (AZ)strengthen your hearts, for (BA)the coming of the Lord is (BB)near. (BC)Do not [v]complain, (BD)brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, (BE)the Judge is standing [w](BF)right at the [x]door. 10 As an example, (BG)brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take (BH)the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those (BI)blessed who endured. You have heard of (BJ)the [y]endurance of Job and have seen (BK)the [z]outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that (BL)the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

12 But above all, (BM)my brothers and sisters, (BN)do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but [aa]your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall under judgment.

13 Is anyone among you (BO)suffering? (BP)Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to (BQ)sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for (BR)the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [ab](BS)anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the (BT)prayer of faith will [ac](BU)restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will (BV)raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [ad]they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, (BW)confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be (BX)healed. (BY)A [ae]prayer of a righteous person, when it is [af]brought about, can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was (BZ)a man with a nature like ours, and (CA)he prayed [ag]earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for (CB)three years and six months. 18 Then he (CC)prayed again, and (CD)the sky [ah]poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

19 My brothers and sisters, (CE)if anyone among you strays from (CF)the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will (CG)save his soul from death and (CH)cover a multitude of sins.

Footnotes

  1. James 4:1 Lit From where wars and from where fightings
  2. James 4:1 Lit Are they not from here, from your
  3. James 4:1 Lit your parts
  4. James 4:3 Lit wrongly
  5. James 4:3 Lit in
  6. James 4:5 Or The spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy
  7. James 4:5 Lit desires to jealousy
  8. James 4:7 Or oppose
  9. James 4:8 I.e., chronic doubters
  10. James 4:12 Lit the one judging
  11. James 4:14 Lit Who do not
  12. James 4:14 Or what will happen tomorrow. What kind of life is yours?
  13. James 4:15 Lit Instead of your saying
  14. James 4:16 Or pretensions
  15. James 4:17 Or good
  16. James 5:3 Lit be for
  17. James 5:4 Gr sabaoth, for Heb tsebaoth
  18. James 5:5 Or led a life of self-indulgence
  19. James 5:5 Lit nourished
  20. James 5:6 Or murdered
  21. James 5:7 Or he
  22. James 5:9 Lit groan
  23. James 5:9 Lit before
  24. James 5:9 Lit doors
  25. James 5:11 Or steadfastness
  26. James 5:11 Lit end of the Lord
  27. James 5:12 Lit yours is to be yes, yes, and no, no
  28. James 5:14 Lit having anointed
  29. James 5:15 Lit save
  30. James 5:15 Lit it
  31. James 5:16 Or supplication
  32. James 5:16 I.e., granted by God
  33. James 5:17 Lit with prayer
  34. James 5:18 Lit gave

A Living Hope and a Sure Salvation

(A)Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as (B)strangers, (C)scattered throughout (D)Pontus, (E)Galatia, (F)Cappadocia, (G)Asia, and (H)Bithynia, (I)who are chosen according to the (J)foreknowledge of God the Father, (K)by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, [a]to (L)obey Jesus Christ and be (M)sprinkled with His blood: (N)May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

(O)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who (P)according to His great mercy (Q)has caused us to be born again to (R)a living hope through the (S)resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an (T)inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and (U)will not fade away, (V)reserved in heaven for you, who are (W)protected by the power of God (X)through faith for (Y)a salvation ready (Z)to be revealed in the last time. (AA)In this you greatly rejoice, even though now (AB)for a little while, (AC)if necessary, you have been distressed by (AD)various [b]trials, so that the [c](AE)proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes (AF)though tested by fire, (AG)may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at (AH)the revelation of Jesus Christ; and (AI)though you have not seen Him, you (AJ)love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and [d]full of glory, obtaining as (AK)the outcome of your faith, the salvation of [e]your souls.

10 (AL)As to this salvation, the prophets who (AM)prophesied of the (AN)grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 [f]seeking to know what person or time (AO)the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He (AP)predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories [g]to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who (AQ)preached the gospel to you by (AR)the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which (AS)angels long to [h]look.

13 Therefore, [i](AT)prepare your minds for action, [j](AU)keep sober in spirit, set your (AV)hope completely on the (AW)grace to be brought to you at (AX)the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As [k](AY)obedient children, do not [l](AZ)be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your (BA)ignorance, 15 but [m](BB)like the Holy One who called you, [n](BC)be holy yourselves also (BD)in all your behavior; 16 because it is written: “(BE)You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

17 If you (BF)address as Father the One who (BG)impartially (BH)judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves (BI)in fear during the time of your (BJ)stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [o](BK)redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your (BL)futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious (BM)blood, as of a (BN)lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was (BO)foreknown before (BP)the foundation of the world, but has (BQ)appeared [p]in these last times (BR)for the sake of you 21 who through Him are (BS)believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and (BT)gave Him glory, so that your faith and (BU)hope are in God.

22 Since you have (BV)purified your souls (BW)in obedience to the truth for a (BX)sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from [q]the heart, 23 for you have been (BY)born again (BZ)not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring (CA)word of God. 24 For,

(CB)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory is like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
25 (CC)But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is (CD)the word which was [r]preached to you.

As Newborn Babes

Therefore, (CE)rid yourselves of all [s]malice and all deceit and [t]hypocrisy and [u]envy and all [v](CF)slander, (CG)and like newborn babies, long for the [w](CH)pure [x]milk of the word, so that by it you may (CI)grow [y]in respect to salvation, if you have (CJ)tasted [z](CK)the kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been (CL)rejected by people, but is [aa]choice and precious in the sight of God, (CM)you also, as living stones, [ab]are being built up as a (CN)spiritual house for a holy (CO)priesthood, to (CP)offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in [ac]Scripture:

(CQ)Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a (CR)precious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in [ad]Him will not be [ae]put to shame.”

(CS)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

(CT)A stone which the builders (CU)rejected,
This became the [af]chief cornerstone,”

and,

(CV)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

(CW)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, (CX)and to this they were also appointed.

But you are (CY)a chosen people, a royal (CZ)priesthood, a (DA)holy nation, (DB)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you (DC)out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 (DD)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 (DE)Beloved, (DF)I urge you as (DG)foreigners and strangers to abstain from (DH)fleshly lusts, which wage (DI)war against the soul. 12 (DJ)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they (DK)slander you as evildoers, they may [ag]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, (DL)glorify God (DM)on the day of [ah]visitation.

Honor Authority

13 (DN)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent [ai]by him (DO)for the punishment of evildoers and the (DP)praise of those who do right. 15 For [aj](DQ)such is the will of God, that by doing right you (DR)silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Act as (DS)free people, and [ak]do not use your freedom as a [al]covering for evil, but use it as (DT)bond-servants of God. 17 (DU)Honor all people, (DV)love the brotherhood, (DW)fear God, (DX)honor the [am]king.

18 (DY)Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and (DZ)gentle, but also to those who are [an]harsh. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of (EA)conscience toward God a person endures [ao]grief when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if (EB)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

21 For (EC)you have been called for this purpose, (ED)because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you (EE)an example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22 He who (EF)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 [ap]and while being (EG)abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself [aq](EH)brought our sins in His body up on the [ar](EI)cross, so that we (EJ)might die to [as]sin and live for righteousness; (EK)by His [at]wounds you were (EL)healed. 25 For you were (EM)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the (EN)Shepherd and [au]Guardian of your souls.

Godly Living

(EO)In the same way, you wives, (EP)be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be (EQ)won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your pure [av]and respectful behavior. (ER)Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; but it should be (ES)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way the holy women of former times, (ET)who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (EU)calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right [aw](EV)without being frightened by any fear.

(EW)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with [ax](EX)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

[ay]To sum up, (EY)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, [az](EZ)loving, (FA)compassionate, and (FB)humble; (FC)not returning evil for evil or (FD)insult for insult, but giving a (FE)blessing instead; for (FF)you were called for the very purpose that you would (FG)inherit a blessing. 10 For,

(FH)The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 (FI)He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 (FJ)For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

13 (FK)And who is [ba]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should (FL)suffer for the sake of righteousness, (FM)you [bb]are blessed. (FN)And do not fear their [bc]intimidation, and do not be in dread, 15 but [bd]sanctify (FO)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready (FP)to make a [be]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the (FQ)hope that is in you, but (FR)with gentleness and (FS)respect; 16 [bf]and keep a (FT)good conscience so that in the thing in which (FU)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For (FV)it is better, (FW)if [bg]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 18 For (FX)Christ also [bh]suffered for sins (FY)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might (FZ)bring us to God, having been put to death (GA)in the flesh, but made alive (GB)in the [bi]spirit; 19 in [bj]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who once were disobedient when the (GC)patience of God (GD)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of (GE)the ark, in which a few, that is, (GF)eight (GG)persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 (GH)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—(GI)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God [bk]for a (GJ)good conscience—through (GK)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 (GL)who is at the right hand of God, (GM)having gone into heaven, (GN)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 1:2 Lit unto obedience and sprinkling
  2. 1 Peter 1:6 Or temptations
  3. 1 Peter 1:7 Or genuineness
  4. 1 Peter 1:8 Lit glorified
  5. 1 Peter 1:9 One early ms does not contain your
  6. 1 Peter 1:11 Or inquiring
  7. 1 Peter 1:11 Lit after these
  8. 1 Peter 1:12 Or gain a clear glimpse
  9. 1 Peter 1:13 Lit belt up the waist of your mind
  10. 1 Peter 1:13 Lit be sober
  11. 1 Peter 1:14 Lit children of obedience
  12. 1 Peter 1:14 Or conform yourselves
  13. 1 Peter 1:15 Lit according to
  14. 1 Peter 1:15 Or become
  15. 1 Peter 1:18 Or ransomed
  16. 1 Peter 1:20 Lit at the end of the times
  17. 1 Peter 1:22 Two early mss a pure heart
  18. 1 Peter 1:25 Lit preached as good news to you
  19. 1 Peter 2:1 Or wickedness
  20. 1 Peter 2:1 plural nouns
  21. 1 Peter 2:1 plural nouns
  22. 1 Peter 2:1 plural nouns
  23. 1 Peter 2:2 Or unadulterated
  24. 1 Peter 2:2 Or spiritual (Gr logikos) milk, so
  25. 1 Peter 2:2 Or up to salvation
  26. 1 Peter 2:3 Lit that the Lord is kind
  27. 1 Peter 2:4 Lit chosen; or elect
  28. 1 Peter 2:5 Or allow yourselves to be built up; or build yourselves up
  29. 1 Peter 2:6 Or a scripture
  30. 1 Peter 2:6 Or it
  31. 1 Peter 2:6 Or disappointed
  32. 1 Peter 2:7 Lit head of the corner
  33. 1 Peter 2:12 Or as a result of
  34. 1 Peter 2:12 I.e., Christ’s coming again in judgment
  35. 1 Peter 2:14 Lit through
  36. 1 Peter 2:15 Lit so
  37. 1 Peter 2:16 Lit not having
  38. 1 Peter 2:16 I.e., a way to conceal
  39. 1 Peter 2:17 Or emperor
  40. 1 Peter 2:18 Or unscrupulous
  41. 1 Peter 2:19 Or pain
  42. 1 Peter 2:23 Lit who
  43. 1 Peter 2:24 Or offered...up
  44. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit wood; see Deut 21:23
  45. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit sins
  46. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit wound; or welt
  47. 1 Peter 2:25 Or Bishop, Overseer
  48. 1 Peter 3:2 Lit with respect
  49. 1 Peter 3:6 Lit and are not
  50. 1 Peter 3:7 Lit a weaker vessel
  51. 1 Peter 3:8 Or Finally
  52. 1 Peter 3:8 I.e., as brothers and sisters
  53. 1 Peter 3:13 Lit the one who will harm you
  54. 1 Peter 3:14 Or would be
  55. 1 Peter 3:14 Lit fear
  56. 1 Peter 3:15 I.e., set apart
  57. 1 Peter 3:15 Or argument; or explanation
  58. 1 Peter 3:16 Lit having a good
  59. 1 Peter 3:17 Lit the will of God
  60. 1 Peter 3:18 One early ms died
  61. 1 Peter 3:18 Or Spirit
  62. 1 Peter 3:19 Or whom
  63. 1 Peter 3:21 Or from

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