1 W hat 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?

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 ou are jealous and covet and your desires go unfulfilled; you become murderers. You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain, so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

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 ou do ask and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is to spend it in sensual pleasures.

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

4 Y ou unfaithful wives! 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.

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 O r 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 with a jealous love?

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

6 B ut He gives us more and more grace ( 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 to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).

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

7 S o be subject 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 C ome close to God and He will come close to you. sinners, get your soiled hands clean; wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts.

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 deeply penitent and grieve, even weep. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame.

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

10 H umble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

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

11 b rethren, 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.

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 O ne only is the Lawgiver and Judge Who is able to save and to destroy. who are you that pass judgment on your neighbor?

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

13 C ome 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.

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 Y et you do not know about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears.

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 Y ou ought instead to say, If the Lord is willing, we shall live and we shall do this or that.

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

16 B ut as it is, you boast in your presumption and your self-conceit. All such boasting is wrong.

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

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

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