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

What starts wars and fights among you? Is it not because you want many things and are fighting to have them?

2 Y e lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.

You want something you do not have, so you kill. You want something but cannot get it, so you fight for it. You do not get things because you do not ask for them.

3 Y e ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures.

Or if you do ask, you do not receive because your reasons for asking are wrong. You want these things only to please yourselves.

4 Y e adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.

You are as wives and husbands who are not faithful in marriage and do sex sins. Do you not know that to love the sinful things of the world and to be a friend to them is to be against God? Yes, I say it again, if you are a friend of the world, you are against God.

5 O r think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?

Do you think the Holy Writings mean nothing when they said, “The Holy Spirit Whom God has given to live in us has a strong desire for us to be faithful to Him”?

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

But He gives us more loving-favor. For the Holy Writings say, “God works against the proud but gives loving-favor to those who have no pride.”

7 B e subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

So give yourselves to God. Stand against the devil and he will run away 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 doubleminded.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Clean up your hearts, you who want to follow the sinful ways of the world and God at the same time.

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

Be sorry for your sins and cry because of them. Be sad and do not laugh. Let your joy be turned to sorrow.

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

Let yourself be brought low before the Lord. Then He will lift you up and help you. Do Not Talk Against Each Other

11 S peak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Christian brothers, do not talk against anyone or speak bad things about each other. If a person says bad things about his brother, he is speaking against him. And he will be speaking against God’s Law. If you say the Law is wrong, and do not obey it, you are saying you are better than the Law.

12 O ne only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor?

Only God can say what is right or wrong. He made the Law. He can save or put to death. How can we say if our brother is right or wrong?

13 C ome now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain:

Listen! You who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this city and stay a year and make money.”

14 w hereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? It is like fog. You see it and soon it is gone.

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

What you should say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

16 B ut now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil.

But instead you are proud. You talk loud and big about yourselves. All such pride is sin.

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

If you know what is right to do but you do not do it, you sin.