James 4:2

Ye covet—and have not, ye commit murder, and are jealous—and cannot obtain,—ye fight and war. Ye have not—because ye do not really ask,

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

1Whence wars and whence fightings among you? are they not from hence—due to your pleasures which are taking the field in your members?

3Ye ask and receive not, because that, basely, ye ask, in order that, in your pleasures, ye may spend [it].

Read all of James 4

Cross References

1 Kings 21:6And he said unto her—Because I spake unto Naboth, the Jezreelite, and said unto him—Come! give me thy vineyard for silver, or, if thou wouldst prefer, I will give thee a vineyard, in its stead; and he said—I will not give thee my vineyard.

Ecclesiastes 4:8Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches,—neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!

Habakkuk 2:5Moreover also, when wine betrayeth, a man, is arrogant, and findeth no rest,—because he hath enlarged, like hades, his desire, yea, he, is like death, and cannot be satisfied,—but hath gathered unto himself, all the nations, and assembled unto himself, all the peoples.

Luke 11:9I, therefore, unto you, say—Be asking, and it shall be given to you, Be seeking, and ye shall find,—Be knocking, and it shall be opened unto you.

John 16:24Until even now, ye have asked nothing in my name: Be asking, and ye shall receive,—that, your joy, may be made full.

James 1:5But, if any of you is sinning short of wisdom, let him be asking of God, Who giveth unto all freely and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him;

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study James 4:2