2 You lust (for life and peace) and you have not, (so) you kill, desiring to gain it but you cannot obtain it: you fight and war, yet you have not (peace or rest), because you ask not.

 

3 You ask and receive not (the life and peace your heart truly desires), because you ask amiss (thinking you can gain it from the world) so that you may spend it upon your lusts (whereby you are continually animated by the death and corruption in the world).

 

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that (your Maker is your husband and) the friendship (and affection) of the world (which can only serve you with death) is (contrary to and) hostile toward (the judgment of) God (to serve you with His indestructible life)? therefore, whoever will be a friend of the world has set themselves contrary to (the judgment of) God.

 

5 Do you think that the scripture says in vain, The Spirit that (passionately) desires to dwell in us, jealously longs to have us (as His own)?

 

6 But (to the humble) He gives more grace. Therefore, the scripture says God resists (the way of) the proud (who are lifted up in their heart, looking to their own strength, to do, to get and to have) but gives grace to the humble (who being poor in spirit, look only to God and His strength).

 

7 Submit yourselves therefore (in subjection) to (the strength of) God (who in Christ has already stood in the face of death’s accusation for us all), (so that you are able to) resist the (temptation to justify yourself brought by that slanderous) accuser (the devil, which says that because of death you are not the children of God), and death (and its accusation) will flee from you.

 

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands (from death) you fornicators (who being intimate with the works thereof, serve yourself with death); and (instead look to the work which God has done in Christ to) purify your hearts (from death’s influence), you double minded.

 

9 (And seeing the complete wretchedness of your own ability to exalt yourself to life) be afflicted, mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned to sorrow, and your joy to gloom.

 

10 Humble yourselves (taking no thought for the preservation of your own life) in the sight of the Lord, and He will exalt you (raising you up to an indestructible life which has no end).

 

11 Do not speak poorly of (and backbite) one another, brethren. He that speaks against (and slanders) his brother and judges (himself better than) his brother, (actually) speaks against the law (which says love your brother) and judges the law: but if you judge (yourself higher than) the law, you are not a doer of the law, but (have set yourself up as) a judge.

 

12 There is One Lawgiver (and One Judge of all), The One Who is able to (both) save (and preserve your life forever from destruction) and to destroy (the enemy death): who are you (that can do neither) that judges one another?

 

13 Hear now, those of you who say, today or tomorrow we will go into this city and spend a year there and will trade and will make a gain,

 

14 Who (boast of tomorrow and) do not even know what will be on the next day. (Have you not considered) what is (the nature of) this life of yours? Is it not but a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away?

 

15 And for that reason, you ought to say (instead), If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.

 

16 But (as it stands) now you rejoice in (yourselves and in) your boasting (of the life you can build yourself): all such boasting is evil (not born from above but filled with labors and annoyances).