James 3:13-4:12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.(A) 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. 15 This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.(B) 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.(C) 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.(D) 18 And the fruit of righteousness[a] is sown in peace by those who make peace.(E)
Friendship with the World
4 Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? 2 You want something and do not have it, so you commit murder. And you covet[b] something and cannot obtain it, so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.(F) 4 Adulterers![c] Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.(G) 5 Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the spirit that God caused to dwell[d] in us desire envy?(H) 6 But God gives all the more grace; therefore it says,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”(I)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.(J) 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.(K) 9 Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.(L)
Warning against Judging Another
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another speaks evil against the law and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.(M) 12 There is one lawgiver and judge[e] who is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your neighbor?(N)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.