Pride Is the Source of Conflict

1From where come wars and fightings among you? come they not from here, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.

3You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it upon your lusts.

4You adulterers and adulteresses, know you 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.

5Do you think that the scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy?

6But he gives more grace. Therefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.

Draw Near to God in Humility

7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaks evil of his brother, 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.

12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who are you that judge another?

God Controls the Future

13Come now, you that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14Whereas you know not what shall be tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15For you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16But now you rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.