James 4:2
There are things that you very much desire to have, but you do not get those things, so you want to kill [HYP] those who hinder you from getting them. You desire what other people have, but you are unable to get what you desire, so you quarrel and fight with one another [HYP]. You do not have what you desire because you do not ask God for it.
Translation for Translators
In The King James Version
In Context
Cross References
1 Kings 21:6Ahab replied, “I talked to Naboth, that man from Jezreel. I told him that I wanted his vineyard. I said, ‘I will buy it from you, or I will give you another vineyard for it.’ But he refused to let me have it.”
Ecclesiastes 4:8There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work very hard, without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask themselves, “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
Habakkuk 2:5If people trust in their wealth, they will deceive themselves, and proud people are never able to rest. It is as though the greedy people of Babylonia open their mouths as wide as the place where dead people are, and they never have enough, like the place where dead people go never has enough dead people [PRS]. The armies of Babylonia conquer many nations for themselves, and capture all their people.
Luke 11:9So I tell you this: Keep asking God for what you need. If you do that, he will give it to you (pl). Confidently keep expecting God to give you the things that you need, and he will give them to you [MET]. It will be like looking for what you need and finding it. Keep on praying urgently to God. Then God will answer you. It will be like knocking on a door so that God will open the way for you to get what you pray for.
John 16:24Up to the present time, using my authority you have not asked God to do anything for you [MTY]. Now keep asking him for things that you need. If you do that, you will receive them, and then you will be completely joyful.
James 1:5If anyone of you does not know how to act wisely in order to endure difficulties/trials well, he should ask God to show him what he should do, because God wholeheartedly/gladly helps all people who ask and does not scold anyone for asking. Those who ask, God will give them wisdom to know what they should do.
Matthew Henry on James 4:2-11
Origin of War and Contention; Against Pride; Submission to God. ( a. d. 61.) 1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 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. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever… Read the whole commentary →