Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously?[a](A)

But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says:

God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.(B)[b]

Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.(C) Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!(D) Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.(E) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:5 Or He who caused the Spirit to live in us yearns jealously, or the spirit He caused to live in us yearns jealously, or He jealously yearns for the Spirit He made to live in us
  2. James 4:6 Pr 3:34

Or do you think that in vain the scripture says, “The spirit which he caused to dwell in us desires jealously”?[a] But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud,
    but gives grace to the humble.”[b]

Therefore subject yourselves to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded! Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your[c] joy to gloominess. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:5 This translation takes “spirit” to be the capacity within people that produces a divided mind and conflicts regarding God; other translations take this to refer to the Holy Spirit: “He (God) jealously desires the Spirit which he caused to dwell in us”
  2. James 4:6 A quotation from Prov 3:34
  3. James 4:9 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun