James 4-5

New International Version

Submit Yourselves to God

4 What causes fights and quarrels^(A) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle^(B) within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill.^(C) 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,^(D) because you ask with wrong motives,^(E) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous^(F) people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world^(G) means enmity against God?^(H) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.^{(I) 5} Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]?^{(J) 6} But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,^(L) and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(M) Wash your hands,^(N) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(O) you double-minded.^{(P) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(Q) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(R)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.^(S) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[d] or judges them^(T) speaks against the law^(U) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,^(V) but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,^(W) the one who is able to save and destroy.^(X) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?^(Y)

Boasting About Tomorrow

¹³ Now listen,^(Z) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”^{(AA) 14} Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.^{(AB) 15} Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,^(AC) we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.^{(AD) 17} If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.^(AE)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(AF) you rich people,^(AG) weep and wail^(AH) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(AI) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(AJ) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(AK) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(AL) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(AM) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(AN) in the day of slaughter.^{[e](AO) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(AP) the innocent one,^(AQ) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(AR) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(AS) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(AT) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(AU) is near.^{(AV) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(AW) or you will be judged. The Judge^(AX) is standing at the door!^(AY)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(AZ) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(BA) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(BB) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(BC) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(BD)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(BE)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(BF) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(BG) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(BH) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(BI) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(BJ) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(BK) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(BL) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(BM)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(BN) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(BO) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(BP)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(BQ) and someone should bring that person back,^{(BR) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(BS) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(BT)