18 The Lord made it known to me and I knew;
    then you showed me their deeds.
19 But I was (A)like a gentle lamb
    led to the slaughter.
I did not know (B)it was against me
    they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
    (C)let us cut him off from (D)the land of the living,
    that his name be remembered no more.”
20 But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,
    who (E)tests (F)the heart and the mind,
(G)let me see your vengeance upon them,
    for to you have I committed my cause.

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Plot Against Jeremiah

18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;(A) I did not realize that they had plotted(B) against me, saying,

“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
    let us cut him off from the land of the living,(C)
    that his name be remembered(D) no more.”
20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously(E)
    and test the heart(F) and mind,(G)
let me see your vengeance(H) on them,
    for to you I have committed my cause.

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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.

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!

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

What causes fights and quarrels(N) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle(O) within you? 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. 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.

You adulterous(S) people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world(T) means enmity against God?(U) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.(V) Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]?(W) But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”[c](X)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,(Y) and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.(Z) Wash your hands,(AA) you sinners, and purify your hearts,(AB) you double-minded.(AC) Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.(AD) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. James 4:4 An allusion to covenant unfaithfulness; see Hosea 3:1.
  2. James 4:5 Or that the spirit he caused to dwell in us envies intensely; or that the Spirit he caused to dwell in us longs jealously
  3. James 4:6 Prov. 3:34

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

30 (A)They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, (B)after three days he will rise.” 32 (C)But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

33 And (D)they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house (E)he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way (F)they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, (G)“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and (H)taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 (I)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and (J)whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

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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)

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