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James 4:2

Envy and jealousyPrayerMoney and wealth

1 What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.

3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

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Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
KJV
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.
WEB
You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.
ASV
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
DARBY
Ye lust and have not: ye kill and are full of envy, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war; ye have not because ye ask not.
BLB
You⁺ desire, and you⁺ do not have. You⁺ murder and are jealous, and you⁺ are not able to obtain. You⁺ fight and battle. You⁺ do not have, because you⁺ do not ask.
ÅB
Dere attrår, og har ikke; dere slår ihjel og bærer avind, og kan ikke få; dere ligger i strid og ufred. Dere har ikke, fordi dere ikke ber;
OTB
Dere begjærer og har ikke, så dere begår mord. Dere misunner og kan ikke oppnå, så dere krangler og kjemper. Dere har ikke fordi dere ikke ber til Gud.
B1930
I attrår, og har ikke; I slår ihjel og bærer avind, og kan ikke få; I ligger i strid og ufred. I har ikke, fordi I ikke beder;

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • John 16:24

    Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

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  • Matthew 7:7–8

    Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

    Read in context

  • James 1:5

    Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

    Read in context

  • Luke 11:9–13

    So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

    Read in context

  • John 4:10

    Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

    Read in context

  • 1 Timothy 6:9–10

    Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

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  • Proverbs 1:19

    Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.

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  • James 5:1–5

    Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.

    Read in context