1 ¿ De dónde vienen las guerras y los conflictos entre vosotros ? ¿No vienen de vuestras pasiones que combaten en vuestros miembros ?

What 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?

2 C odiciáis y no tenéis, por eso cometéis homicidio. Sois envidiosos y no podéis obtener, por eso combatís y hacéis guerra. No tenéis, porque no pedís.

You 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.

3 P edís y no recibís, porque pedís con malos propósitos, para gastar lo en vuestros placeres.

you 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.

4 ¡ Oh almas adúlteras! ¿No sabéis que la amistad del mundo es enemistad hacia Dios ? Por tanto, el que quiere ser amigo del mundo, se constituye enemigo de Dios.

You 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.

5 ¿ O pensáis que la Escritura dice en vano: El celosamente anhela el Espíritu que ha hecho morar en nosotros ?

Or 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?

6 P ero El da mayor gracia. Por eso dice: Dios resiste a los soberbios pero da gracia a los humildes.

But 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).

7 P or tanto, someteos a Dios. Resistid, pues, al diablo y huirá de vosotros.

So be subject to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 A cercaos a Dios, y El se acercará a vosotros. Limpiad vuestras manos, pecadores; y vosotros de doble ánimo, purificad vuestros corazones.

Come 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.

9 A fligíos, lamentad y llorad; que vuestra risa se torne en llanto y vuestro gozo en tristeza.

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

10 H umillaos en la presencia del Señor y El os exaltará.

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

11 H ermanos, no habléis mal los unos de los otros. El que habla mal de un hermano o juzga a su hermano, habla mal de la ley y juzga a la ley; pero si tú juzgas a la ley, no eres cumplidor de la ley, sino juez de ella.

brethren, 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.

12 S ólo hay un dador de la ley y juez, que es poderoso para salvar y para destruir; pero tú, ¿quién eres que juzgas a tu prójimo ? La incertidumbre de la vida

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

13 O íd ahora, los que decís: Hoy o mañana iremos a tal o cual ciudad y pasaremos allá un año, haremos negocio y tendremos ganancia.

Come 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.

14 S in embargo, no sabéis cómo será vuestra vida mañana. Sólo sois un vapor que aparece por un poco de tiempo y luego se desvanece.

Yet 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.

15 M ás bien, debierais decir: Si el Señor quiere, viviremos y haremos esto o aquello.

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

16 P ero ahora os jactáis en vuestra arrogancia; toda jactancia semejante es mala.

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

17 A aquel, pues, que sabe hacer lo bueno y no lo hace, le es pecado.

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