philia denotes an allegiance to the world that James sets in opposition to God.

The sole attested use places friendship with the world in direct opposition to God, describing a relationship whose choice makes a person an enemy of God.

1. Allegiance to the world opposed to God · dominant

   In James 4:4, the nominative singular feminine form occurs in the statement about friendship with the world and hostility toward God. The APB renders the clause, "friendship with the world is hostility toward God," then describes the person who resolves to be a friend of the world as an enemy of God.

   James 4:4

In the Anselm Project Bible: In James 4:4, the APB presents the term in the phrase "friendship with the world" and contrasts it with hostility toward God. The clause rather than an isolated English token provides the comparison.