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James 3:13-4:3
Contemporary English Version
James 3:13-4:3
Contemporary English Version
Wisdom from Above
13 (A) Are any of you wise or sensible? Then show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do. 14 But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and selfishness, don't brag or lie to cover up the truth. 15 This kind of wisdom doesn't come from above. It is earthly and selfish and comes from the devil himself. 16 Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.
Friendship with the World
4 Why do you fight and argue with each other? Isn't it because you are full of selfish desires that fight to control your body? 2 You want something you don't have, and you will do anything to get it. You will even kill! But you still cannot get what you want, and you won't get it by fighting and arguing. You should pray for it. 3 Yet even when you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons.
James 3:13-4:3
New International Version
James 3:13-4:3
New International Version
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it(A) by their good life, by deeds(B) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition(C) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.(D) 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(E) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(F) 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition,(G) there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven(H) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,(I) considerate, submissive, full of mercy(J) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.(K) 18 Peacemakers(L) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.(M)
Submit Yourselves to God
4 What causes fights and quarrels(N) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle(O) within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill.(P) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,(Q) because you ask with wrong motives,(R) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:7-8
Contemporary English Version
James 4:7-8
Contemporary English Version
7 Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you people who can't make up your mind.
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Mark 9:30-37
Contemporary English Version
Mark 9:30-37
Contemporary English Version
Jesus Again Speaks about His Death
(Matthew 17.22,23; Luke 9.43b-45)
30 Jesus left with his disciples and started through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know about it, 31 because he was teaching the disciples that the Son of Man would be handed over to people who would kill him. But three days later he would rise to life. 32 The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant, and they were afraid to ask.
Who Is the Greatest?
(Matthew 18.1-5; Luke 9.46-48)
33 Jesus and his disciples went to his home in Capernaum. After they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about along the way?” 34 (A) They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer.
35 (B) After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, “If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!”
36 Then Jesus asked a child to stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, 37 (C) “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.”
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Mark 9:30-37
New International Version
Mark 9:30-37
New International Version
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time(A)
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man(B) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,(C) and after three days(D) he will rise.”(E) 32 But they did not understand what he meant(F) and were afraid to ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum.(G) When he was in the house,(H) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.(I)
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”(J)
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,(K) he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”(L)
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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