Wisdom from Above

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? (A)By his good conduct let him show his works (B)in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter (C)jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not (D)the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, (E)demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But (F)the wisdom from above is first pure, then (G)peaceable, gentle, open to reason, (H)full of mercy and good fruits, (I)impartial and (J)sincere. 18 And (K)a harvest of righteousness (L)is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Warning Against Worldliness

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions[a] are (M)at war within you?[b] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask (N)wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (O)You adulterous people![c] Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? (P)Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit (Q)that he has made to dwell in us”? But (R)he gives more grace. Therefore it says, (S)“God opposes the proud but (T)gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. (U)Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (V)Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (W)Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and (X)purify your hearts, (Y)you double-minded. (Z)Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 (AA)Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11 (AB)Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.[d] The one who speaks against a brother or (AC)judges his brother, 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. 12 There is only (AD)one lawgiver and (AE)judge, he who is able to save and (AF)to destroy. But (AG)who are you to judge your neighbor?

Footnotes

  1. James 4:1 Greek pleasures; also verse 3
  2. James 4:1 Greek in your members
  3. James 4:4 Or You adulteresses!
  4. James 4:11 Or brothers and sisters

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