JMNT(i)
1 From what situation (place; source) [
arise]
battles (or: wars; situations of combat)
and fights (quarrels; strife; controversies)
among you folks? Are they not from this source (or: place):
from out of your sensual pleasures (enjoyments and gratifications) [
which are]
themselves continually performing as soldiers within your members?
2 You folks are continuously strongly desiring to possess, and yet continuously you do not have; you continue murdering and are repeatedly jealous (boil with rivalry),
and so you are perpetually unable to hit the mark (to attain or master [something]).
You are habitually quarreling and fighting. (or: You people constantly have full longing, desire and lust – and still you are not presently holding or possessing – and so you repeatedly murder. You are progressively envious, boiling with rivalry, and yet continue having no power to obtain [your goal], so you are constantly striving and having controversies – even doing combat and waging wars!)
You continue not having [
your desires]
because you yourself do not continue asking (or: you are not normally asking for yourselves).
3 You continue asking (requesting),
and yet are not receiving because you are asking inappropriately (worthlessly requesting; or: = asking for a wrong purpose)
to the intent that you may spend (= waste)
it in (or: on)
your pleasures.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses (= Folks unfaithful to Christ or God as your husband)!
Have you not seen, and are you not aware, that the System's friendship (the affection whose source is this world of religion, secular culture, economy and government)
is a source of enmity with God (or: hostility and active hatred with regard to God; [Aleph reads: exists being alienation to God])?
Whoever, then, may have been made to want (to intend; to purpose)
to be the System's (or: world's)
friend is continuing to be established (habitually set down; progressively rendered or constituted) [
as]
God's alienated and hostile person.
5 Or are you supposing that the Scripture is speaking void of effect (emptily; vainly)?
The breath-effect (or: spirit)
which housed-down in us normally sets its desire (longing; affection; yearning)
upon [
something]
, [
with a view]
toward ill-will, malice, envy and jealousy! (or: The Spirit – which He causes to dwell in union with us – is constantly longing and progressively yearning [for us]: to the point of bubbling up zeal and enthusiasm. or: Is the spirit and attitude which lives within us periodically longing toward envy?)
6 Yet He is constantly and progressively giving greater (= more abundant; more intense; larger; more frequent)
grace and favor, therefore it is saying "God continuously sets Himself in opposition to, and aligns Himself against, those that show themselves above (the proud; the assuming),
but He habitually gives grace and favor to the low ones (the unassuming ones; the humble ones; those of low rank).
" [
Prov. 3:34]