James 4

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

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.

← Previous Chapter Next Chapter →

James 4:5

“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?”

Study Summary

Or do you think Scripture says without reason that 'He jealously longs for the spirit he has made to dwell in us'? — the rhetorical question introduces a scriptural principle, though the source is debated. The statement suggests that God has possessively implanted the spirit (pneuma) within believers, establishing a claim on their allegiance. God's 'jealousy' (zēlos) should be understood as his passionate commitment to exclusive relationship, not petty rivalry. The spirit dwelling within us makes us fundamentally God's property.

Community Reflections

David Mensah (test user)7h ago

The beauty of holiness — James 4

God is faithful in every circumstance.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. I love how this passage doesn't shy away from the difficulty of obedience. His timing, His methods, His purposes — all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good.. God meets us exactly where we are — broken, uncertain, yet chosen. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. This is one of those passages that reads differently in every season of life. The early church would have heard this very differently than we do today. God is faithful in every circumstance.. His timing, His methods, His purposes — all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God meets us exactly where we are — broken, uncertain, yet chosen. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. It…

Read the note →