Parallel Verses

International Standard Version

You want something but do not get it, so you commit murder. You covet something but cannot obtain it, so you quarrel and fight. You do not get things because you do not ask for them!

New American Standard Bible

You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

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.

Holman Bible

You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask.

A Conservative Version

Ye desire and do not have, so ye murder. And ye envy and cannot obtain, so ye fight and make war. Ye do not have, because ye do not ask.

American Standard Version

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.

Amplified

You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God].

An Understandable Version

You people desire something and yet do not have it, [so] you murder [to get it]. You are envious [of what someone has] and [yet] are not able to obtain it, [so] you fight and quarrel [over it]. You do not have [what you want] because you do not ask [God for it].

Anderson New Testament

You desire, and you have not; you kill, and are earnestly desirous of having, and yet you can not obtain; you fight and war, and yet you have not, because you ask not.

Bible in Basic English

You 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.

Common New Testament

You desire and do not have; so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Daniel Mace New Testament

you quarrel and go to war, but without success, because you don't petition for it: and if you did,

Darby Translation

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.

Godbey New Testament

You lust, and you have not: you murder, and you strive, and you are not able to obtain: you fight and you war; and have not, because you do not ask:

Goodspeed New Testament

You crave things, and cannot have them, and so you commit murder. You covet things, and cannot get them, and so you quarrel and fight. You do not have things because you do not ask for them.

John Wesley New Testament

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

Julia Smith Translation

Ye eagerly desire, and have not: ye kill, and are zealous, and cannot succeed: ye fight and wage war, and ye have not, because ye ask not.

King James 2000

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

Lexham Expanded Bible

You desire and do not have; you murder and are filled with envy, and are not able to obtain; you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

Modern King James verseion

You desire, and do not have. You murder, and are jealous, and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you have not because you ask not.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Ye lust, and have not. Ye envy and have indignation, and cannot obtain. Ye fight and war, and have not, because ye ask not.

Moffatt New Testament

You crave, and miss what you want: you envy and covet, but you cannot acquire: you wrangle and fight ??you miss what you want because you do not ask God for it;

Montgomery New Testament

You continually crave and do not obtain; you are killing and coveting and cannot acquire; you are fighting and at war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

NET Bible

You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask;

New Heart English Bible

You lust, and do not have. You kill, covet, and cannot obtain. You fight and make war. You do not have, because you do not ask.

Noyes New Testament

Ye lust, and have not; ye kill, and earnestly covet, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war. Ye have not, because ye ask not;

Sawyer New Testament

You desire and have not; you kill, and envy, and cannot obtain; you fight and carry on war. You have not, because you do not ask;

The Emphasized Bible

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,

Thomas Haweis New Testament

Ye eagerly covet, yet have not: ye murder, and are envious, yet cannot obtain [your object]; ye wage war, but have not, because ye pray not.

Twentieth Century New Testament

You crave, yet do not obtain. You murder and rage, yet cannot gain your end. You quarrel and fight. You do not obtain, because you do not ask.

Webster

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.

Weymouth New Testament

You covet things and yet cannot get them; you commit murder; you have passionate desires and yet cannot gain your end; you begin to fight and make war. You have not, because you do not pray;

Williams New Testament

You covet things, but cannot acquire them, and so you quarrel and fight. You do not have them, because you do not ask for them.

World English Bible

You lust, and don't have. You kill, covet, and can't obtain. You fight and make war. You don't have, because you don't ask.

Worrell New Testament

Ye desire, and have not; ye kill, and envy, and cannot obtain; ye fight, and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.

Worsley New Testament

Ye desire, and ye have not: ye are envious, and jealous, and cannot obtain: ye fight and contend; but ye have not, because ye ask not.

Youngs Literal Translation

ye desire, and ye have not; ye murder, and are zealous, and are not able to attain; ye fight and war, and ye have not, because of your not asking;

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Ye lust
ἐπιθυμέω 
Epithumeo 
Usage: 10

and







and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
and, also, even, both, then, so, likewise, not tr., , vr and
Usage: 0
Usage: 0
Usage: 0
Usage: 0

ἔχω 
Echo 
have, be, need , , vr have
Usage: 479

not
οὐ 
Ou 
οὐ 
Ou 
not, no, cannot ,
not, no, cannot ,
Usage: 1032
Usage: 1032

ye kill
φονεύω 
Phoneuo 
Usage: 5

ζηλόω 
Zeloo 
Usage: 10

δύναμαι 
Dunamai 
can , cannot , be able, may , able,
Usage: 140

ἐπιτυγχάνω 
Epitugchano 
Usage: 5

ye fight
μάχομαι 
Machomai 
Usage: 4

war
πολεμέω 
Polemeo 
Usage: 6

yet
δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

ye have
ἔχω 
Echo 
have, be, need , , vr have
Usage: 479

διά 
Dia 
by, through, with, for, for ... sake, therefore , for this cause , because,
Usage: 527

ye
ὑμᾶς 
Humas 
you, ye, for your sakes Trans, not tr,
Usage: 314

ask
αἰτέω 
Aiteo 
Usage: 43

Devotionals

Devotionals about James 4:2

References

American

War

Morish

Images James 4:2

Prayers for James 4:2

Context Readings

Subject Yourselves To God

1 Where do those fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your selfish desires that are at war in your bodies, don't they? 2 You want something but do not get it, so you commit murder. You covet something but cannot obtain it, so you quarrel and fight. You do not get things because you do not ask for them! 3 You ask for something but do not get it because you ask for it for the wrong reason for your own pleasure.

Cross References

James 1:5

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

Proverbs 1:19

Such is the way of all those who seek illicit gain it takes away the lives of those who possess it.

Ecclesiastes 4:8

Consider someone who is alone, having neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his work, and he is never satisfied with wealth. "So for whom do I work," he asks, "and deprive myself of pleasure?" This, too, is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Isaiah 7:12

But Ahaz replied, "I won't ask! I won't put the LORD to the test."

Habakkuk 2:5

Moreover, just as wine leads astray the proud and powerful man, he remains restless; he has expanded his appetite like the afterlife or death itself, he is never satisfied. He gathers to himself all of the nations, taking captive all of the people for himself."

Matthew 7:7-8

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you.

Luke 11:9-13

So I say to you: Keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you,

John 4:10

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, "Please give me a drink,' you would have been the one to ask him, and he would have given you living water."

John 16:24

So far you haven't asked for anything in my name. Keep asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete."

1 Timothy 6:9-10

But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin.

James 5:1-5

Now listen, you rich people! Cry and moan over the miseries that are overtaking you.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain