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

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

2 Y e 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 lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

3 Y e ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

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

4 Y e 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! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

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

Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

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

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Humility Cures Worldliness

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

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 D raw 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.

9 B e afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

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

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Do Not Judge a Brother

11 S peak 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 of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a 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 T here is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

13 G o 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 who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;

14 w hereas 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.

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

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

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

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

But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

17 T herefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

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