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James 3:13-4:12
New International Version
James 3:13-4:12
New International Version
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it(A) by their good life, by deeds(B) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition(C) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.(D) 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(E) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(F) 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition,(G) there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven(H) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,(I) considerate, submissive, full of mercy(J) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.(K) 18 Peacemakers(L) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.(M)
Submit Yourselves to God
4 What causes fights and quarrels(N) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle(O) within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill.(P) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,(Q) because you ask with wrong motives,(R) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous(S) people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world(T) means enmity against God?(U) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.(V) 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]?(W) 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,(Y) and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.(Z) Wash your hands,(AA) you sinners, and purify your hearts,(AB) you double-minded.(AC) 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.(AD) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.(AE)
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.(AF) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[d] or judges them(AG) speaks against the law(AH) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,(AI) but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,(AJ) the one who is able to save and destroy.(AK) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?(AL)
Footnotes
- James 4:4 An allusion to covenant unfaithfulness; see Hosea 3:1.
- James 4:5 Or that the spirit he caused to dwell in us envies intensely; or that the Spirit he caused to dwell in us longs jealously
- James 4:6 Prov. 3:34
- James 4:11 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.
James 3:13-4:12
King James Version
James 3:13-4:12
King James Version
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
4 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that 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.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
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.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 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.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
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.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
James 3:13-4:12
New King James Version
James 3:13-4:12
New King James Version
Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom
13 (A)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have (B)bitter envy and [a]self-seeking in your hearts, (C)do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 (D)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For (E)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But (F)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, (G)without partiality (H)and without hypocrisy. 18 (I)Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Pride Promotes Strife
4 Where do [b]wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure (J)that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and [c]war. [d]Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 (K)You ask and do not receive, (L)because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 [e]Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that (M)friendship with the world is enmity with God? (N)Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, (O)“The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
(P)“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Humility Cures Worldliness
7 Therefore submit to God. (Q)Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 (R)Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (S)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and (T)purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 (U)Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 (V)Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Do Not Judge a Brother
11 (W)Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother (X)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 [f]Lawgiver, (Y)who is able to save and to destroy. (Z)Who[g] are you to judge [h]another?
Footnotes
- James 3:14 selfish ambition
- James 4:1 battles
- James 4:2 battle
- James 4:2 NU, M omit Yet
- James 4:4 NU omits Adulterers and
- James 4:12 NU adds and Judge
- James 4:12 NU, M But who
- James 4:12 NU a neighbor
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.