Book of Common Prayer

Your Speech And Conduct And The Fruit They Produce Reveal The Source of Your Wisdom

¹³ Who^[a] is wise and knowledgeable among you? Let him show from his good conduct his works done in the gentleness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish-interest^[b] in your heart, do not be vaunting^[c] and lying against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom is not coming down^[d] from-above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish-interest are, in-that-place there is disorder^[e] and every bad thing^[f]. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from-above is first pure, then peaceful, kind, yielding^[g], full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, sincere. ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by the ones making peace.

Fights And Battles Come From Your Pursuit of Worldly Desires

4 From-what-source are fights and from-what-source are battles among you? Are they not from-here— from your pleasures waging-war in your body-parts? ² You desire and do not have; you^[h] murder. And you are jealous and are not able to obtain; you battle and fight. You do not have because of your not asking! ³ You ask and do not receive because you ask badly^[i], in order that you may spend it in connection with your pleasures. ⁴ Adulterous^[j] ones, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes-himself ^[k] an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture^[l] speaks vainly? He yearns jealously for the spirit^[m] which He made-to-dwell in us!

But God Gives Grace To The Humble. So Submit To God And Purify Your Hearts

⁶ But He gives greater grace. Therefore it says [in Prov 3:34], “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”. ⁷ Therefore, submit to God, but resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw-near to God and He will draw-near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded ones. ⁹ Be miserable^[n] and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection^[o]. ¹⁰ Humble-yourselves^[p] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

So Do Not Be Speaking Against Or Judging One Another

¹¹ Do not be speaking-against one another, brothers. The one speaking-against a brother or judging his brother is speaking-against the Law and judging the Law. But if you are judging the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge. ¹² There is one Lawgiver and Judge— the One being able to save and to destroy. But who are you, the one judging your neighbor?

¹² And Pilate, again having responded, was saying to them “Then what do you want me to do as to the One whom you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³ And the ones cried-out again^[a], “Crucify Him!” ¹⁴ But Pilate was saying to them, “What indeed^[b] did He do wrong?” But the ones cried out even more, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁵ And Pilate, wanting to do enough^[c] for the crowd, released Barabbas for them, and handed-over Jesus, having flogged^[d] Him, in order that He might be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked, Beaten, Spit On, And Crucified

¹⁶ And the soldiers led Him away inside the palace (that is, the Praetorium^[e]). And they call together the whole [Roman] cohort^[f]. ¹⁷ And they dress Him in a purple^[g] cloak. And having woven a crown made-of-thorns, they set it on Him. ¹⁸ And they began to greet Him, “Hail^[h], King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ And they were striking His head with a staff, and spitting-on Him. And while putting-down their knees, they were paying-homage to Him. ²⁰ And when they mocked Him, they stripped the purple cloak off Him and put His garments on Him. And they lead Him out in order that they might crucify Him. ²¹ And they press-into-service a certain one passing by, coming from the country— Simon, a Cyrenian^[i], the father of Alexander and Rufus— in order that he might take up His cross.