topJames 4

Chapter 4
NASTextRec

Friendship with the World

4:1 Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν;
οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν; 		1 Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν;
οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;
Where’s the source of wars and the source of fighting among you? Do they not come out of your desires that battle among your members? Where’s the source of wars and the source of fighting among you? Do they not come out of your desires that battle among your members?
4:2 ἐπιθυμεῖτε καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε, φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε καὶ οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν, μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε, οὐκ ἔχετε διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς, 2 ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε· φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε, καὶ οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν.
μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε, οὐκ ἔχετε δέ, διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς·
You desire and don’t have; so you commit murder. You are envious and unable to obtain; so you fight and battle. You don’t have because you don’t ask. You desire and don’t have; so you commit murder. You are envious and unable to obtain; so you fight and battle. You don’t have because you don’t ask.
4:3 αἰτεῖτε καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε διότι κακῶς αἰτεῖσθε, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε. 3 αἰτεῖτε, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε, διότι κακῶς αἰτεῖσθε, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε.
You ask and don’t receive, because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You ask and don’t receive, because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4:4 μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν;
ὃς ἐὰν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται. 		4 μοιχοὶ καὶ μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου, ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν;
ὃς ἂν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται.
You adulteresses, don’t you know that the world’s friendship is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world sets himself as an enemy of God. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that the world’s friendship is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world sets himself as an enemy of God.
4:5 ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει, πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν, 5 ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει;
πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν;
Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which dwells in us”? Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which dwells in us”?
4:6 μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν;
διὸ λέγει, ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν. 		6 μείζονα δὲ δίδωσι χάριν· διὸ λέγει, ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσι χάριν.
But he gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”[5] But he gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”[5]
4:7 ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ θεῷ ἀντίστητε δὲ τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν, 7 ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ θεῷ.
ἀντίστητε τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν·
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
4:8 ἐγγίσατε τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν.
καθαρίσατε χεῖρας, ἁμαρτωλοί, καὶ ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι. 		8 ἐγγίσατε τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν.
καθαρίσατε χεῖρας, ἁμαρτωλοί, καὶ ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι.
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, oh sinners; and purify your hearts, oh double-minded. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, oh sinners; and purify your hearts, oh double-minded.
4:9 ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε.
ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος μετατραπήτω καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν. 		9 ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε· ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος μεταστραφήτω, καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν.
Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
4:10 ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον κυρίου καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς. 10 ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and he will exalt you. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Judging a Brother

4:11 Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί.
ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ ἢ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου ἀλλὰ κριτής. 		11 Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί· ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καταλαλεῖ νόμου, καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου, ἀλλὰ κριτής.
Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who defames a brother or judges his brother, defames the Torah and judges the Torah; but if you judge the Torah, you are not a doer of the Torah but a judge of it. Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who defames a brother or judges his brother, defames the Torah and judges the Torah; but if you judge the Torah, you are not a doer of the Torah but a judge of it.
4:12 εἷς ἐστιν [ὁ] νομοθέτης καὶ κριτὴς ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων τὸν πλησίον; 12 εἷς ἐστιν ὁ νομοθέτης ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ τίς εἶ ὃς κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον;
There is only one lawgiver and judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judges a neighbour? There is only one lawgiver, the one who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judges another?

Warning against Boasting

4:13 Ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες, Σήμερον ἢ αὔριον πορευσόμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν καὶ ποιήσομεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐμπορευσόμεθα καὶ κερδήσομεν· 13 Ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες, Σήμερον καὶ αὔριον πορευσώμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ποιήσωμεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν ἕνα καὶ ἐμπορευσώμεθα, καὶ κερδήσωμεν·
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and buy and sell and make a profit.” Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend one year there and buy and sell and make a profit.”
4:14 οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τῆς αὔριον ποία ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν· ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστε ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, ἔπειτα καὶ ἀφανιζομένη. 14 οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον· ποία γὰρ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν;
ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, ἔπειτα δὲ ἀφανιζομένη·
However you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. However you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is just a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
4:15 ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς, Ἐὰν ὁ κύριος θελήσῃ καὶ ζήσομεν καὶ ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο. 15 ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς, Ἐὰν ὁ κύριος θελήσῃ, καὶ ζήσωμεν, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο.
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.” Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.”
4:16 νῦν δὲ καυχᾶσθε ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις ὑμῶν· πᾶσα καύχησις τοιαύτη πονηρά ἐστιν. 16 νῦν δὲ καυχᾶσθε ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις ὑμῶν· πᾶσα καύχησις τοιαύτη πονηρά ἐστιν.
But now, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. But now, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
4:17 εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν. 17 εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν, καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν.
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.

[5] Prov 3:34 LXX