Sométanse a Dios

¿De dónde surgen las guerras y los conflictos entre ustedes? ¿No es precisamente de las pasiones que luchan dentro de ustedes mismos?[a] Desean algo y no lo consiguen. Matan y sienten envidia, y no pueden obtener lo que quieren. Riñen y se hacen la guerra. No tienen, porque no piden. Y cuando piden, no reciben porque piden con malas intenciones, para satisfacer sus propias pasiones.

¡Oh, gente adúltera! ¿No saben que la amistad con el mundo es enemistad con Dios? Si alguien quiere ser amigo del mundo se vuelve enemigo de Dios. ¿O creen que la Escritura dice en vano que Dios ama celosamente al espíritu que hizo morar en nosotros?[b] Pero él nos da más gracia. Por eso dice la Escritura:

«Dios se opone a los orgullosos,
    pero da gracia a los humildes».[c]

Así que sométanse a Dios. Resistan al diablo y él huirá de ustedes. Acérquense a Dios y él se acercará a ustedes. ¡Pecadores, límpiense las manos! ¡Ustedes, los indecisos, purifiquen su corazón! Reconozcan sus miserias, lloren y laméntense. Que su risa se convierta en llanto y su alegría, en tristeza. 10 Humíllense delante del Señor y él los exaltará.

11 Hermanos, no hablen mal unos de otros. Si alguien habla mal de su hermano o lo juzga, habla mal de la Ley y la juzga. Y si juzgas la Ley, ya no eres cumplidor de la Ley, sino su juez. 12 No hay más que un solo Legislador y Juez, aquel que puede salvar y destruir. Tú, en cambio, ¿quién eres para juzgar a tu prójimo?

Alarde sobre el mañana

13 Ahora escuchen esto, ustedes que dicen: «Hoy o mañana iremos a tal o cual ciudad, pasaremos allí un año, haremos negocios y ganaremos dinero». 14 ¡Y eso que ni siquiera saben qué sucederá mañana! ¿Qué es su vida? Ustedes son como la niebla que aparece por un momento y luego se desvanece. 15 Más bien, debieran decir: «Si el Señor quiere, viviremos y haremos esto o aquello». 16 Pero ahora se jactan en sus fanfarronerías. Toda esta jactancia es mala. 17 Así que comete pecado todo el que sabe hacer el bien y no lo hace.

Footnotes

  1. 4:1 luchan … mismos. Lit. hacen guerra en sus miembros.
  2. 4:5 Dios … nosotros. Alt. el espíritu que él hizo morar en nosotros envidia intensamente, o el Espíritu que él hizo morar en nosotros ama celosamente.
  3. 4:6 Pr 3:34 el autor cita la LXX.

What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members?

You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask.(A)

[Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.

You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.

Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?(B)

But He gives us more and more grace ([a]power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).(C)

So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].

[As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].

10 Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].

11 [My] brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another. He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a practicer of the Law but a censor and judge [of it].

12 One only is the Lawgiver and Judge Who is able to save and to destroy [the One Who has the absolute power of life and death]. [But you] who are you that [you presume to] pass judgment on your neighbor?

13 Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money.

14 Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].

15 You ought instead to say, If the Lord is willing, we shall live and we shall do this or that [thing].

16 But as it is, you boast [falsely] in your presumption and your self-conceit. All such boasting is wrong.

17 So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.

Footnotes

  1. James 4:6 Adam Clarke, The Holy Bible with A Commentary.

Submit Yourselves to God

What causes fights and quarrels(A) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle(B) within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill.(C) 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,(D) because you ask with wrong motives,(E) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

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

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

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,(L) and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.(M) Wash your hands,(N) you sinners, and purify your hearts,(O) you double-minded.(P) Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.(Q) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(R)

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.(S) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[d] or judges them(T) speaks against the law(U) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,(V) but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,(W) the one who is able to save and destroy.(X) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?(Y)

Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now listen,(Z) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”(AA) 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.(AB) 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,(AC) we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.(AD) 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.(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
  4. James 4:11 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.