James 4:1-10

Goodspeed(i) 1 What causes wars and fights among you? Is it not your cravings, which are at war within your bodies? 2 You crave things, and cannot have them, and so you commit murder. You covet things, and cannot get them, and so you quarrel and fight. You do not have things because you do not ask for them. 3 You ask and fail to get them because you ask with wrong motives, to spend them on your pleasures. 4 You renegades! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wishes to be the world's friend declares himself God's enemy. 5 Do you suppose the Scripture means nothing when it says, "He yearns jealously over the Spirit he has put in our hearts?" 6 But he gives all the greater blessing. As the Scripture says, "God opposes haughty persons, but he blesses humble-minded ones." 7 Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will fly from you. 8 Approach God, and he will approach you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Make your hearts pure, you doubters! 9 Be miserable, grieve, and weep aloud! Turn your laughter into grief and your happiness into gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will raise you up