ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4
SBL Greek New Testament
4 Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ [a]πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν; 2 ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε· φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε, καὶ οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν· μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε. οὐκ ἔχετε διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς· 3 αἰτεῖτε καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε, διότι κακῶς αἰτεῖσθε, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε. 4 [b]μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν; ὃς [c]ἐὰν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται. 5 ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει· Πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ [d]κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν; 6 μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν· διὸ λέγει· Ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν. 7 ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ θεῷ· ἀντίστητε δὲ τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ’ ὑμῶν· 8 ἐγγίσατε τῷ θεῷ, καὶ [e]ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν. καθαρίσατε χεῖρας, ἁμαρτωλοί, καὶ ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι. 9 ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε· ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος [f]μετατραπήτω καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν· 10 ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον [g]κυρίου, καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς.
11 Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί· ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ [h]ἢ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου ἀλλὰ κριτής. 12 εἷς [i]ἐστιν νομοθέτης [j]καὶ κριτής, ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ, [k]ὁ κρίνων τὸν [l]πλησίον;
13 Ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες· Σήμερον [m]ἢ αὔριον [n]πορευσόμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν καὶ [o]ποιήσομεν ἐκεῖ [p]ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ [q]ἐμπορευσόμεθα καὶ [r]κερδήσομεν· 14 οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε [s]τὸ τῆς αὔριον [t]ποία ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν· ἀτμὶς γάρ [u]ἐστε [v]ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, [w]ἔπειτα καὶ ἀφανιζομένη· 15 ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς· Ἐὰν ὁ κύριος [x]θελήσῃ, καὶ [y]ζήσομεν καὶ [z]ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο. 16 νῦν δὲ καυχᾶσθε ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις ὑμῶν· πᾶσα καύχησις τοιαύτη πονηρά ἐστιν. 17 εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν.
Footnotes
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:1 πόθεν WH Treg NIV ] – RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:4 μοιχαλίδες WH Treg NIV ] Μοιχοὶ καὶ μοιχαλίδες RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:4 ἐὰν WH NIV ] ἂν Treg RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:5 κατῴκισεν WH Treg NIV ] κατῴκησεν RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:8 ἐγγιεῖ Treg NIV RP ] ἐγγίσει WH
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:9 μετατραπήτω WH NIV ] μεταστραφήτω Treg RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:10 κυρίου WH Treg NIV ] τοῦ κυρίου RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:11 ἢ WH Treg NIV ] καὶ RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:12 ἐστιν WH ] + ὁ Treg NIV RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:12 καὶ κριτής WH Treg NIV ] – RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:12 ὁ κρίνων WH Treg NIV ] ὃς κρίνεις RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:12 πλησίον WH Treg NIV ] ἕτερον RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:13 ἢ WH Treg NIV ] καὶ RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:13 πορευσόμεθα WH Treg NIV ] πορευσώμεθα RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:13 ποιήσομεν WH NIV ] ποιήσωμεν Treg RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:13 ἐνιαυτὸν WH Treg NIV ] + ἕνα RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:13 ἐμπορευσόμεθα WH Treg NIV ] ἐμπορευσώμεθα RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:13 κερδήσομεν WH Treg NIV ] κερδήσωμεν RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:14 τὸ Treg NIV RP ] – WH
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:14 ποία WH NIV ] + γὰρ Treg RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:14 ἐστε WH Treg NIV ] ἔσται RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:14 ἡ Treg NIV RP ] – WH
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:14 ἔπειτα WH Treg NIV ] + δὲ RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:15 θελήσῃ Treg NIV RP ] θέλῃ WH
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:15 ζήσομεν WH Treg NIV ] ζήσωμεν RP
- ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ 4:15 ποιήσομεν WH Treg NIV ] ποιήσωμεν RP
James 4
King James Version
4 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 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.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 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?
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
James 4
The Message
Get Serious
4 1-2 Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
2-3 You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
4-6 You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
11-12 Don’t bad-mouth each other, friends. It’s God’s Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You’re supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?
Nothing but a Wisp of Fog
13-15 And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”
16-17 As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.
James 4
New King James Version
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:
(G)“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
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.
Do Not Judge a Brother
11 (N)Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother (O)and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one [e]Lawgiver, (P)who is able to save and to destroy. (Q)Who[f] are you to judge [g]another?
Do Not Boast About Tomorrow
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow [h]we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? (R)It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, (S)“If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. (T)All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, (U)to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Footnotes
- James 4:1 battles
- James 4:2 battle
- James 4:2 NU, M omit Yet
- James 4:4 NU omits Adulterers and
- James 4:12 NU adds and Judge
- James 4:12 NU, M But who
- James 4:12 NU a neighbor
- James 4:13 M let us
Scripture quotations marked SBLGNT are from the The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
