James Chapter 4 (WEB)

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James 4 is part of “Worldliness and Pride” (4) in the outline of James.

James 4 summary

In this chapter we are directed to consider, I. Some causes of contention, besides those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and to watch against them (Jam 4:1-5). II. We are taught to abandon the friendship of this world, so as to submit and subject ourselves entirely to God (Jam 4:4-10). III. All detraction and rash judgment of others are to be carefully avoided (Jam 4:11, Jam 4:12). IV. We must preserve a constant regard, and pay the utmost deference to the disposals of divine Providence (Jam 4:13 to the end).

Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).

1. 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
2. 2 You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.
3. 3 You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously”?
6. 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7. 7 Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9. 9 Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
11. 11 Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12. 12 Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?
13. 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.”
14. 14 Yet you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15. 15 For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.”
16. 16 But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.
17. 17 To him therefore who knows to do good and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.