James 4:1

What is the cause of wars and fighting among you? is it not in your desires which are at war in your bodies?

Bible in Basic English

In The King James Version

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

In Context

2You are burning with desire, and have not your desire, so you put men to death; you are full of envy, and you are not able to get your desire, so you are fighting and making war; you have not your desire, because you do not make request for it.

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Cross References

Jeremiah 17:9The heart is a twisted thing, not to be searched out by man: who is able to have knowledge of it?

Mark 7:21Because from inside, from the heart of men, come evil thoughts and unclean pleasures,

Romans 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the evil passions which came into being through the law were working in our bodies to give the fruit of death.

Romans 8:7Because the mind of the flesh is opposite to God; it is not under the law of God, and is not able to be:

Colossians 3:5Then put to death your bodies which are of the earth; wrong use of the flesh, unclean things, passion, evil desires and envy, which is the worship of strange gods;

Titus 3:3For in the past we were foolish, hard in heart, turned from the true way, servants of evil desires and pleasures, living in bad feeling and envy, hated and hating one another.

Matthew Henry on James 4:1

In this chapter we are directed to consider, I. Some causes of contention, besides those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and to watch against them, ver. 1-5 . II. We are taught to abandon the friendship of this world, so as to submit and subject ourselves entirely to God, ver. 4-10 . III. All detraction and rash judgment of others are to be carefully avoided, ver. 11, 12 . IV. We must preserve a constant regard, and pay the utmost deference to the disposals of divine Providence, ver. 13, to the end . Read the whole commentary →

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