James 4:1–10

PROUD OR HUMBLE

4What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions^c that wage war within you?^{D 2}You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war.^A You do not have because you do not ask. ³You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.^d

⁴You adulterous people!^B Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.^{e 5}Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?^Cf

⁶But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says:

God resists the proud

but gives grace to the humble.^Dg

⁷Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.^{h 8}Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.^{i 9}Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{j 10}Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.