Bible in Basic English
Do not say evil against one another, my brothers. He who says evil against his brother or makes himself his brother's judge, says evil against the law and is judging the law: and in judging the law you become, not a doer of the law but a judge.
There is only one judge and law-giver, even he who has the power of salvation and of destruction; but who are you to be your neighbour's judge?
How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth:
When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone.
But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that.
But now you go on glorying in your pride: and all such glorying is evil.
The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
— James 4:11-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Speak 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. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go 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: Whereas 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. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. ”
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Make your hands clean, you evil-doers; put away deceit from your hearts, you false in mind.
Be troubled, with sorrow and weeping; let your laughing be turned to sorrow and your joy to grief.
Make yourselves low in the eyes of the Lord and you will be lifted up by him.
Do not say evil against one another, my brothers. He who says evil against his brother or makes himself his brother's judge, says evil against the law and is judging the law: and in judging the law you become, not a doer of the law but a judge.
There is only one judge and law-giver, even he who has the power of salvation and of destruction; but who are you to be your neighbour's judge?
How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth:
When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone.
But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that.
But now you go on glorying in your pride: and all such glorying is evil.
The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.