Warning Against Pride

1From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your members? 2You covet, and have not: you kill, and envy, and can not obtain. You contend and war, and you have not, because you ask not. 3You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences. 4Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world, becometh an enemy of God. 5Or do you think that the scripture saith in vain: To envy doth the spirit covet which dwelleth in you? 6But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Drawing Near to God

7Be subject therefore to God, but resist the devil, and he will fly from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners: and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow. 10Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

11Detract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth the law, and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12There is one lawgiver, and judge, that is able to destroy and to deliver.

Do Not Boast About Tomorrow

13But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now you that say: To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and there we will spend a year, and will traffic, and make our gain. 14Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. 15For what is your life? It is a vapour which appeareth for a little while, and afterwards shall vanish away. For that you should say: If the Lord will, and if we shall live, we will do this or that. 16But now you rejoice in your arrogancies. All such rejoicing is wicked. 17To him therefore who knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin.