James 4 good news bible

Here is James 4 from the Good News Bible (GNB):

James 4

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Is it not your passions that are at war within you? 2 You desire something and do not have it; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain it; so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend what you get on your own desires.

4 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. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without a reason? "He who loves money never has enough. He is never satisfied with what he has." And yet God says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." 6 So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

7 Remember your leaders, who spoke God's word to you. Think about the people who are still speaking God's word to you. Consider the outcome of their lives. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 10 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

11 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 12 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 13 Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will welcome you. 14 I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

15 This is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "Look! The home of the righteous is rich, and the heavens store up their reward for them." 16 And again, "The Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day will come." 17 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith. Pray for each other. 18 And pray for me, too, that I may be given the message to speak boldly and make known the mystery of the gospel. 19 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 20 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

21 So, my dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 22 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 23 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 24 Those who listen to the word, Christ the Lord, are the ones who benefit. They are like a man building a house, who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and the storm comes, the house stands firm because it is built on solid ground. 25 But those who listen to the word and do not act on it are like a man who looks in a mirror 26 and, after looking at himself, goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. 27 But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

28 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 29 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 30 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 31 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 32 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 33 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

34 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can that faith save them? 35 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 36 And one of you says to them, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed." But if you don't provide for their physical needs, what good is it to them? 37 So too, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 38 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 39 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 40 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 41 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 42 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 43 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and God accounted it to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 44 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 45 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 46 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.