Ἰάκωβος

James — Chapter 4

Read James Chapter 4 in the original Greek alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 17 verses. Koine Greek text with full English translation.

Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; Οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;

KJVFrom whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

Ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε· φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε, καὶ οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν· μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε, οὐκ ἔχετε διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς·

KJVYe lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

αἰτεῖτε, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε, διότι κακῶς αἰτεῖσθε, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε.

KJVYe ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Μοιχοὶ καὶ μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστίν; Ὃς ἂν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ καθίσταται.

KJVYe adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει; Πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκησεν ἐν ἡμῖν.

KJVDo ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?

μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν· διὸ λέγει, Ὁ Θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσι χάριν.

KJVBut he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.

ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ Θεῷ. ἀντίστητε τῷ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν.

KJVSubmit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν· καθαρίσατε χεῖρας, ἁμαρτωλοί, καὶ ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι.

KJVDraw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε· ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος μεταστραφήτω, καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν.

KJVBe afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς.

KJVHumble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

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

Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί. Ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καταλαλεῖ νόμου, καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου, ἀλλὰ κριτής.

KJVSpeak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

Εἷς ἐστὶν ὁ νομοθέτης, ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ ὃς κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον;

KJVThere is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you — who are you to judge your neighbor?

Ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες, Σήμερον καὶ αὔριον πορευσώμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ποιήσωμεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν ἕνα, καὶ ἐμπορευσώμεθα, καὶ κερδήσωμεν·

KJVGo to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.

οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον. Ποία γὰρ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν; Ἀτμὶς γὰρ ἔσται ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἀφανιζομένη.

KJVWhereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς, Ἐὰν ὁ Κύριος θελήσῃ, καὶ ζήσωμεν, καὶ ποιήσωμεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο.

KJVFor that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

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

Νῦν δὲ καυχᾶσθε ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις ὑμῶν· πᾶσα καύχησις τοιαύτη πονηρά ἐστιν.

KJVBut now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

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

Εἰδότι οὖν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστίν.

KJVTherefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.