Submit Yourselves to God

4 What causes fights and quarrels^(A) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle^(B) within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill.^(C) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive,^(D) because you ask with wrong motives,^(E) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous^(F) people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world^(G) means enmity against God?^(H) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.^{(I) 5} Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]?^{(J) 6} But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,^(L) and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(M) Wash your hands,^(N) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(O) you double-minded.^{(P) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(Q) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(R)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.^(S) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[d] or judges them^(T) speaks against the law^(U) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,^(V) but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,^(W) the one who is able to save and destroy.^(X) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?^(Y)

Boasting About Tomorrow

¹³ Now listen,^(Z) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”^{(AA) 14} 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.^{(AB) 15} Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,^(AC) we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.^{(AD) 17} If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.^(AE)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(AF) you rich people,^(AG) weep and wail^(AH) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(AI) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(AJ) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(AK) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(AL) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(AM) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(AN) in the day of slaughter.^{[e](AO) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(AP) the innocent one,^(AQ) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(AR) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(AS) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(AT) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(AU) is near.^{(AV) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(AW) or you will be judged. The Judge^(AX) is standing at the door!^(AY)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(AZ) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(BA) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(BB) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(BC) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(BD)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(BE)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(BF) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(BG) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(BH) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(BI) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(BJ) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(BK) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(BL) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(BM)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(BN) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(BO) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(BP)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(BQ) and someone should bring that person back,^{(BR) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(BS) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(BT)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God^(A) our Savior^(B) and of Christ Jesus our hope,^(C)

² To Timothy^(D) my true son^(E) in the faith:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

³ As I urged you when I went into Macedonia,^(G) stay there in Ephesus^(H) so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines^(I) any longer ⁴ or to devote themselves to myths^(J) and endless genealogies.^(K) Such things promote controversial speculations^(L) rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. ⁵ The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart^(M) and a good conscience^(N) and a sincere faith.^{(O) 6} Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. ⁷ They want to be teachers^(P) of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.^(Q)

⁸ We know that the law is good^(R) if one uses it properly. ⁹ We also know that the law is made not for the righteous^(S) but for lawbreakers and rebels,^(T) the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine^{(U) 11} that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.^(V)

The Lord’s Grace to Paul

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength,^(W) that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.^{(X) 13} Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor^(Y) and a violent man, I was shown mercy^(Z) because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.^{(AA) 14} The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,^(AB) along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.^(AC)

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying^(AD) that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners^(AE)—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy^(AF) so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience^(AG) as an example for those who would believe^(AH) in him and receive eternal life.^{(AI) 17} Now to the King^(AJ) eternal, immortal,^(AK) invisible,^(AL) the only God,^(AM) be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(AN)

The Charge to Timothy Renewed

¹⁸ Timothy, my son,^(AO) I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you,^(AP) so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well,^{(AQ) 19} holding on to faith and a good conscience,^(AR) which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.^{(AS) 20} Among them are Hymenaeus^(AT) and Alexander,^(AU) whom I have handed over to Satan^(AV) to be taught not to blaspheme.

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers,^(AW) intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority,^(AX) that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness^(AY) and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases^(AZ) God our Savior,^{(BA) 4} who wants^(BB) all people^(BC) to be saved^(BD) and to come to a knowledge of the truth.^{(BE) 5} For there is one God^(BF) and one mediator^(BG) between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,^{(BH) 6} who gave himself as a ransom^(BI) for all people. This has now been witnessed to^(BJ) at the proper time.^{(BK) 7} And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying^(BL)—and a true and faithful teacher^(BM) of the Gentiles.^(BN)

⁸ Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands^(BO) without anger or disputing. ⁹ I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,^{(BP) 10} but with good deeds,^(BQ) appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

¹¹ A woman^[a] should learn in quietness and full submission.^{(BR) 12} I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;^[b] she must be quiet.^{(BS) 13} For Adam was formed first, then Eve.^{(BT) 14} And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.^{(BU) 15} But women^[c] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love^(BV) and holiness with propriety.