James 4

1WhatG4159 causes conflictsG4171 andG2532 quarrelsG3163 amongG1722 youG4771? Don’tG3756 they come fromG1537 the passionsG2237 at warG4754 withinG1722 youG4771G3588G3196?1 2You craveG1937 what you do notG3756 haveG2192; you killG5407 andG2532 covetG2206, butG2532 are unableG3756G1410 to obtainG2013 it. You quarrelG3164 andG2532 fightG4170. You do not haveG3756G2192, becauseG1223 youG4771 do notG3361 askG154. 3And when you do askG154G2532, you do notG3756 receiveG2983, becauseG1360 you askG154 with wrong motivesG2560, thatG2443 you may squanderG1159 it onG1722 yourG4771 pleasuresG2237.

4You adulteressesG3428!2 Do you not knowG3756G1492 thatG3754 friendshipG5373 with theG3588 worldG2889 isG1510 hostilityG2189 toward GodG2316? ThereforeG3767, whoeverG3739G1437 choosesG1014 to beG1510 a friendG5384 of theG3588 worldG2889 renders himselfG25253 an enemyG2190 of GodG2316. 5OrG2228 do you thinkG1380 theG3588 ScriptureG1124 saysG3004 without reasonG2761 that theG3588 SpiritG41514 He caused to dwellG2730 inG1722 usG1473 yearnsG1971 withG4314 envyG5355? 6ButG1161 He givesG1325 us moreG3173 graceG5485. This is whyG1352 it saysG3004:

Drawing Near to God

7Submit yourselvesG5293, thenG3767, to GodG2316. ResistG436 theG3588 devilG1228, andG2532 he will fleeG5343 fromG575 youG4771. 8Draw nearG1448 to GodG2316, andG2532 He will draw nearG1448 to youG4771. CleanseG2511 your handsG5495, you sinnersG268, andG2532 purifyG48 your heartsG2588, you double-mindedG1374. 9GrieveG5003, mournG3996, andG2532 weepG2799. TurnG3344 yourG4771 laughterG1071 toG1519 mourningG3997, andG2532 your joyG5479 toG1519 gloomG2726. 10Humble yourselvesG5013 beforeG1799 the LordG2962, andG2532 He will exaltG5312 youG4771.

11BrothersG80, do notG3361 slanderG2635 one anotherG240. Anyone whoG3588 speaks againstG2635 his brotherG80 orG2228 judgesG2919 him speaks againstG2635 the lawG3551 andG2532 judgesG2919 it. AndG1161 ifG1487 you judgeG2919 the lawG3551, you areG1510 notG3756 a practitionerG4163 of the lawG3551, butG235 a judgeG2923 of it. 12There isG1510 only oneG1520 LawgiverG3550 andG2532 JudgeG2923, theG3588 One who is ableG1410 to saveG4982 andG2532 destroyG622. ButG1161 whoG5101 areG1510 youG4771 to judgeG2919 your neighborG4139?

Do Not Boast about Tomorrow

(Proverbs 27:1)

13ComeG71 nowG3568, you whoG3588 sayG3004, “TodayG4594 orG2228 tomorrowG839 we will goG4198 toG1519 this or thatG3592 cityG4172, spendG4160 a yearG1763 thereG1563, carry on businessG1710, andG2532 make a profitG2770.” 14YouG3748 do not even knowG1987G3756 whatG3588 will happen tomorrowG3588G839! WhatG4169 is yourG4771 lifeG2222? You areG1510 a mistG822 that appearsG4314G3588G5316 for a littleG3641 while andG2532 thenG1899 vanishesG853.

15InsteadG473, youG4771 ought to sayG3004, “IfG1437 theG3588 LordG2962 is willingG2309, we will liveG2198 andG2532 doG4160 thisG3778 orG2228 thatG1565.” 16As it isG1161G3568, you boastG2744 inG1722 yourG4771 proud intentionsG212. AllG3956 suchG5108 boastingG2746 isG1510 evilG4190. 17AnyoneG846, thenG3767, who knowsG1492 the right thingG2570 to doG4160, yetG2532 failsG3361 to doG4160 it, isG1510 guilty of sinG266.