Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles

1Whence wars and fightings among you? are they not hence,--from your lusts which war in your members?

2Ye covet and have not; ye envy and emulate, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye do not ask;

3Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it on your lusts.

4Adulterers and adulteresses! know ye not, that the friendship of the world is enmity to God? Whosoever then will be a friend of the world, becomes the enemy of God.

5Do ye think that the Scripture speaks in vain? Does the Spirit who dwells in us, lust to envy?

6Nay, he giveth more grace: hence He saith, God resists the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.

7Be ye then subject to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you: cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify yourhearts, ye double-minded.

9Be afflicted and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow.

10Be humbled before God, and he will exalt you.

11Defame not one another, brethren; he who defames a brother and judges his brother, defames the law and judges the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12One is the lawgiver, who can save and destroy; who art thou who judgest another?

13Come now ye who say, “To-day, or, to-morrow, we shall go into the city and pass there a year, and trade and make gain:” who know not what is to be to-morrow; for what is your life?

14It is indeed a vapor, which for a short time appears, and then vanishes away.

15On the contrary ye ought to say, “If the Lord will, and we live, we shall do this or that.” But now ye glory in your presumptions: all such glorying is evil. He then who knows to do good and doeth it not, is guilty of sin.