Proud or Humble

What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings(A) that are at war within you?[a] You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.(B)

Adulteresses![b][c] Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.(C) Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously?[d](D)

But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says:

God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.(E)[e]

Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.(F) Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!(G) Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow.(H) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:1 Lit war in your members
  2. James 4:4 Other mss read Adulterers and adulteresses
  3. James 4:4 Or Unfaithful people!
  4. James 4:5 Or He who caused the Spirit to live in us yearns jealously, or the spirit He caused to live in us yearns jealously, or He jealously yearns for the Spirit He made to live in us
  5. James 4:6 Pr 3:34

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