The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure ^[a]of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Fear God, Heed His Word

¹¹ For the Lord spoke thus to me with ^[a]a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:

⁵ Even so ^(A)the tongue is a little member and ^(B)boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And ^(C)the tongue is a fire, a world of ^[a]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it ^(D)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of ^[b]nature; and it is set on fire by ^[c]hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, ^(E)full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made ^(F)in the ^[d]similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a ^(G)fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? ^[e]Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

^13 (H)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have ^(I)bitter envy and ^[f]self-seeking in your hearts, ^(J)do not boast and lie against the truth. ^15 (K)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For ^(L)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But ^(M)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, ^(N)without partiality ^(O)and without hypocrisy. ^18 (P)Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Pride Promotes Strife

4 Where do ^[a]wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure ^(A)that war in your members? ² You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and ^[b]war. ^[c]Yet you do not have because you do not ask. ^3 (B)You ask and do not receive, ^(C)because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. ^4 [d]Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that ^(D)friendship with the world is enmity with God? ^(E)Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ^(F)“The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

Humility Cures Worldliness

⁷ Therefore submit to God. ^(H)Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ^8 (I)Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. ^(J)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and ^(K)purify your hearts, you double-minded. ^9 (L)Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ^10 (M)Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that ^(A)in the last days ^[a]perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, ^[b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ^4 (B)traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ^5 (C)having a form of godliness but ^(D)denying its power. And ^(E)from such people turn away! ⁶ For ^(F)of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able ^(G)to come to the knowledge of the truth.