James 4

1 From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?

Whence come wars and strifes among you? Come they not hence, even of your passions, which war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

You desire, and you have not; you kill, and are earnestly desirous of having, and yet you can not obtain; you fight and war, and yet you have not, because you ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.

You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your passions.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity to God? Whoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world, is an enemy of God.

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

Do you suppose that the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the Spirit that dwells in us incline to envy? No.

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says: God sets himself against the proud, but gives grace to the lowly.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submit yourselves, therefore, to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you;

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.

draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded men.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of [his] brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Do not speak evil one of another, brethren. He that speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law, and judges the law: but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

There is one law-giver that is able to save, and to destroy: who are you that judge another?

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Come, now, you that say, Let us go to-day, or to-morrow, into this city, and remain there a year, and trade, and make gain;

14 Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

and yet you know not what will take place to-morrow. For what is your life? Is it not, indeed, a vapor, that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away?

15 For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Instead of that, you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

But now you glory in your boastings: all such glorying is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.

Therefore, to him that knows how to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.