4You adulterous people!4:4 Lit Adulteresses 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.4:4 Jn 15:19; Jms 1:27; 1Jn 2:15

5Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?4:5 Or Scripture says: He jealously yearns for the spirit he made to live in us?, or Scripture says: The Spirit he made to dwell in us longs jealously?4:5 1Co 6:19; 2Co 6:16

6But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says:

7Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.4:7 Eph 4:27; 6:11; 1Pt 5:8–9

8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.4:8 2Ch 15:2; Is 1:16; Jms 1:8

9Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.4:9 Mt 5:4; Lk 6:25

10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer4:11 Or his brother or sister defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.4:11 Mt 7:1; Jms 1:22; 1Pt 2:1

12There is one lawgiver and judge4:12 Other mss omit and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?4:12 Mt 10:28; Rm 14:4

15Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

16But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.4:15–16 Ac 18:21; 1Co 5:6

17So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.4:17 Lk 12:47–48; Jn 9:41; 2Pt 2:21