Draw Near

What causes the fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires for pleasure that are at war inside you?

Πόθενwhence πόλεμοιa war, battle, strife καὶand, also πόθενwhence μάχαιstrife, contention, quarrel ἐνin, by ὑμῖν;you οὐκnot ἐντεῦθεν,hence, from this place, on this side and on that ἐκout of, from τῶνthe ἡδονῶνpleasure, lust, strong desire ὑμῶνyou τῶνthe στρατευομένωνI wage war, fight ἐνin, by τοῖςthe μέλεσινa limb, member ὑμῶν;you

You want something and do not get it, so you kill. You envy and cannot obtain it, so you fight and wage war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

ἐπιθυμεῖτε,I long for, covet, lust after καὶand, also οὐκnot ἔχετε·I have, hold, possess φονεύετεI murder καὶand, also ζηλοῦτε,I am jealous, eager for καὶand, also οὐnot δύνασθεI am powerful, am able ἐπιτυχεῖν·I attain, obtain, acquire μάχεσθεI engage in battle, fight, strive καὶand, also πολεμεῖτε.I make war, contend οὐκnot ἔχετεI have, hold, possess διὰthrough τὸthe μὴnot αἰτεῖσθαιI ask, request, beg, petition ὑμᾶς·you

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, to spend it on your pleasures.

αἰτεῖτεI ask, request, beg, petition καὶand, also οὐnot λαμβάνετε,I receive, take διότιbecause κακῶςbadly, evilly αἰτεῖσθε,I ask, request, beg, petition ἵναin order that, so that ἐνin, by ταῖςthe ἡδοναῖςpleasure, lust, strong desire ὑμῶνyou δαπανήσητε.I spend, bear expense, waste

You adulteresses! Don't you know that to be the world's friend is to be at war with God? Anyone who chooses friendship with the world is making himself God's enemy.

μοιχαλίδες,an adulteress οὐκnot οἴδατεI know, remember ὅτιthat ἡthe φιλίαfriendship τοῦthe κόσμουthe world, universe ἔχθραenmity, hostility τοῦthe θεοῦGod ἐστιν;to be ὃςwho, which ἐὰνif οὖνtherefore, then βουληθῇI will, intend, desire φίλοςfriendly, a friend εἶναιto be τοῦthe κόσμου,the world, universe ἐχθρὸςhated, hostile, an enemy τοῦthe θεοῦGod καθίσταται.I set, establish, appoint, conduct

Or do you think the Scripture says for no reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he made to live in us?

ἢor, than δοκεῖτεI think, seem, appear, it seems ὅτιthat κενῶςfalsely, in vain ἡthe γραφὴa writing, passage of scripture, the scriptures λέγει·I say, speak Πρὸςto, towards, with φθόνονenvy, a grudge ἐπιποθεῖI long for, strain after, desire greatly τὸthe πνεῦμαwind, breath, spirit ὃwho, which κατῴκισενcause to dwell ἐνin, by ἡμῖν;I

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'

μείζοναlarge, great δὲnow, but δίδωσινI offer, give χάριν·grace, favor, kindness διὸwherefore λέγει·I say, speak Ὁthe θεὸςGod ὑπερηφάνοιςproud, arrogant ἀντιτάσσεταιI set myself against, resist ταπεινοῖςhumble, lowly δὲnow, but δίδωσινI offer, give χάριν.grace, favor, kindness

So submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will run from you.

ὑποτάγητεI place under, subject to οὖνtherefore, then τῷthe θεῷ·God ἀντίστητεI take a stand against, oppose, resist δὲnow, but τῷthe διαβόλῳ,slanderous, the Slanderer, the Devil καὶand, also φεύξεταιI flee, escape, shun ἀφ’from, away from ὑμῶν·you

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Clean your hands, you sinners; make your hearts pure, you double-minded.

ἐγγίσατεI come near, approach τῷthe θεῷ,God καὶand, also ἐγγιεῖI come near, approach ὑμῖν.you καθαρίσατεI make clean χεῖρας,a hand ἁμαρτωλοί,sinning, sinful, a sinner καὶand, also ἁγνίσατεI cleanse, purify καρδίας,the heart, inner life, intention δίψυχοι.double-minded, wavering

Be miserable, mourn and weep. Let your laughter turn to mourning and your joy to gloom.

ταλαιπωρήσατεI am miserable, distressed καὶand, also πενθήσατεI mourn, lament καὶand, also κλαύσατε·I weep, weep for, mourn ὁthe γέλωςlaughter ὑμῶνyou εἰςinto, so that πένθοςmourning, sorrow μετατραπήτωturn, change καὶand, also ἡthe χαρὰjoy, gladness εἰςinto, so that κατήφειαν·a downcast countenance, gloom, dejection

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

ταπεινώθητεI humble, humiliate ἐνώπιονbefore the face of, in the presence of κυρίου,lord, Lord, master, sir καὶand, also ὑψώσειI lift up, exalt ὑμᾶς.you

Brothers, do not speak against one another. Whoever speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. And if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge.

Μὴnot καταλαλεῖτεI speak evil of ἀλλήλων,one another ἀδελφοί·a brother ὁthe καταλαλῶνI speak evil of ἀδελφοῦa brother ἢor, than κρίνωνI judge, decide, think good τὸνthe ἀδελφὸνa brother αὐτοῦhe, his, it καταλαλεῖI speak evil of νόμουa law, the Mosaic Law καὶand, also κρίνειI judge, decide, think good νόμον·a law, the Mosaic Law εἰif δὲnow, but νόμονa law, the Mosaic Law κρίνεις,I judge, decide, think good οὐκnot εἶto be ποιητὴςa doer, performer, poet νόμουa law, the Mosaic Law ἀλλὰbut, except κριτής.a judge

There is one Lawgiver and Judge, and he alone can save and destroy. So who are you to judge your neighbor?

εἷςinto, in, among, till, for ἐστινto be νομοθέτηςa law-giver, legislator καὶand, also κριτής,a judge ὁthe δυνάμενοςI am powerful, am able σῶσαιI save, heal καὶand, also ἀπολέσαι·I destroy, lose, am perishing σὺyou δὲnow, but τίςany one, some one εἶ,to be ὁthe κρίνωνI judge, decide, think good τὸνthe πλησίον;near, nearby, a neighbor

Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city, stay there a year, trade and turn a profit.'

ἌγεI lead νῦνnow, already, at present οἱthe λέγοντες·I say, speak Σήμερονtoday, now ἢor, than αὔριονtomorrow πορευσόμεθαI travel, journey, go εἰςinto, so that τήνδεthis here, this τὴνthe πόλινa city καὶand, also ποιήσομενI do, make ἐκεῖthere, yonder, thither ἐνιαυτὸνa year καὶand, also ἐμπορευσόμεθαI travel as a merchant, engage in trade καὶand, also κερδήσομεν·I gain, win, avoid loss

You have no idea what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a mist that shows up for a moment and then is gone.

οἵτινεςwhosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever οὐκnot ἐπίστασθεI know, understand τὸthe τῆςthe αὔριονtomorrow ποίαof what sort ἡthe ζωὴlife ὑμῶν·you ἀτμὶςbreath, steam, vapor γάρfor ἐστεto be ἡthe πρὸςto, towards, with ὀλίγονsmall, brief, few, soon φαινομένη,to appear, be visible ἔπειταthen, thereafter, afterwards καὶand, also ἀφανιζομένη·I cause to disappear, I hide, remove, disfigure

What you ought to say is, 'If the Lord wants it, we will live and we will do this or that.'

ἀντὶinstead of, for τοῦthe λέγεινI say, speak ὑμᾶς·you Ἐὰνif ὁthe κύριοςlord, Lord, master, sir θελήσῃ,I will, wish, desire καὶand, also ζήσομενI live καὶand, also ποιήσομενI do, make τοῦτοthis ἢor, than ἐκεῖνο.that, that one there, yonder

As it is, you boast in your arrogant plans. All such boasting is evil.

νῦνnow, already, at present δὲnow, but καυχᾶσθεI boast, glory ἐνin, by ταῖςthe ἀλαζονείαιςboasting, show, arrogant display ὑμῶν·you πᾶσαall, the whole, every kind of καύχησιςthe act of boasting, exultation τοιαύτηof such a kind, such πονηράevil, bad, wicked ἐστιν.to be

So if someone knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, that is sin for him.

εἰδότιI know, remember οὖνtherefore, then καλὸνbeautiful, good, worthy ποιεῖνI do, make καὶand, also μὴnot ποιοῦντι,I do, make ἁμαρτίαa sin αὐτῷhe, his, it ἐστιν.to be