James 3:13–4:6

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^t by their good life, by deeds^u done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^v in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{w 15}Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^x but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{y 16}For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^z there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven^a is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^b considerate, submissive, full of mercy^c and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^{d 18}Peacemakers^e who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^f

Submit Yourselves to God

4What causes fights and quarrels^g among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle^h within you? ²You desire but do not have, so you kill.ⁱ You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³When you ask, you do not receive,^j because you ask with wrong motives,^k that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

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

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor to the humble.”^cq