12 Bible Verses about Envy

([Psalm of David]) Do not be bothered by evildoers. Do not envy those who do wicked things.

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant (proud).

Let us walk honestly as in the daytime, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and loose conduct, not in strife and jealousy.

Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another.

Do not be jealous of violent people or decide to act as they do.

They came together to confront Moses and Aaron. They said: You have gone far enough! Everyone in the whole congregation is holy. Jehovah is among them. Why do you set yourselves above Jehovah's assembly?

Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful.

He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast (he had a bad attitude).

He possessed flocks and herds and a great household. The Philistines envied him.

Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. His father kept thinking about the whole matter.

([Psalm of David]) Do not be bothered by evildoers. Do not envy those who do wicked things. They will quickly dry up like grass and whither away like green plants.

Do not be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them. Their minds meditate on evil, and their lips talk about trouble.

Do not be jealous of violent people or decide to act as they do.

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but reverence Jehovah all day long.

Let us walk honestly as in the daytime, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and loose conduct, not in strife and jealousy.

Put away all badness and all deception, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil talk.

Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another.

([Psalm of David]) Do not be bothered by evildoers. Do not envy those who do wicked things.

I was envious of arrogant people when I saw the peace and prosperity that wicked people enjoy.

I understood their end when I went into the sanctuary of God. Surely you set them in slippery places. You threw them down into destruction. How are they destroyed, suddenly! They are utterly consumed with terrors. read more.
It is like waking up from a dream, O Jehovah. When you awake you will despise everything they represent.

Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as to spiritual men, but as fleshly men, as babes (infants) in Christ.

You are still fleshly! There is envy, strife, and divisions among you. Do you not walk as ordinary men?

The chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council. They asked what they should do. This man does many signs and miracles.

For he knew that it was out of envy the chief priests delivered him up.

He knew it was because of envy they gave him up.

A sound heart is life for the body. Envy (jealousy) is like bone cancer (decay) (rottenness to the bones).

Cry out! Is there anyone to answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? To be sure anger kills a stubborn fool. And jealousy murders a gullible person.

envies, drunkenness, revelries, and things like these. I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things would not inherit the kingdom of God.

Or do you think the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the attitude of the heart (mental disposition) that he induced to live in us cause us to envy?

Joseph's brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them. They hated Joseph and could not speak to him in a friendly way. One time Joseph had a dream. He told his brothers about it and they hated him even more. He said: Please listen to the dream I had. read more.
We were all in the field tying up sheaves of wheat. My sheaf got up and stood up straight. Yours formed a circle around mine and bowed down to it. Do you think you are going to be a king and rule over us? his brothers asked. So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of what he said about them. Joseph had another dream and told his brothers: I had another dream, in which I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me. He also told the dream to his father. His father scolded him. What kind of a dream is that? Do you think that your mother, your brothers, and I are going to come and bow down to you? Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. His father kept thinking about the whole matter.

They said to one another: Look, here comes the hero of those dreams! Let us kill him and throw him into a water pit. We can say that some wild animal ate him. Then we will see what happens to those dreams.

The family heads were jealous of Joseph and sold him as a slave into Egypt. However, God was with him.

To be sure anger kills a stubborn fool. And jealousy murders a gullible person.

A sound heart is life for the body. Envy (jealousy) is like bone cancer (decay) (rottenness to the bones).

They came together to confront Moses and Aaron. They said: You have gone far enough! Everyone in the whole congregation is holy. Jehovah is among them. Why do you set yourselves above Jehovah's assembly?

In the camp certain men became envious of Moses. They also became envious of Aaron, Jehovah's holy one. The ground split open and swallowed Dathan. It buried Abiram's followers. A fire broke out among their followers. Flames burned up wicked people.

When the Jews saw the crowds they were filled with envy. They spoke against those things Paul spoke. They contradicted and blasphemed him.

The Jews were moved with jealousy so they gathered bad people who organized a crowd for a riot. They assaulted the house of Jason in order to bring them out to the crowd.

Knowing those things made Saul even more afraid of David. He was David's enemy for the rest of his life.

Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. He said: To David they credit tens of thousands but to me they credit only a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom. He was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on.

As long as Jesse's son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Send some men to bring him to me. He is a dead man!

Then Sarai said to Abram: You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms; she knows she is pregnant and she despises me. May Jehovah judge between you and me. Your servant is in your hands, Abram said. Do with her whatever you think best. Then Sarai mistreated Hagar. So she ran away from her.

Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was laughing in mockery. She said to Abraham: Get rid of that slave woman and her son.

You are still fleshly! There is envy, strife, and divisions among you. Do you not walk as ordinary men?

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' helper since he was a young man, spoke up and said to Moses: Stop them, sir! Moses asked him: Do you think you need to stand up for me? I wish all Jehovah's people were prophets and that Jehovah would put his Spirit on them!

I have learned why people work so hard to succeed. It is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is vanity! It is like chasing the wind.

When the Jews saw the crowds they were filled with envy. They spoke against those things Paul spoke. They contradicted and blasphemed him.

The Jews were moved with jealousy so they gathered bad people who organized a crowd for a riot. They assaulted the house of Jason in order to bring them out to the crowd.

Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. His father kept thinking about the whole matter.

Therefore as I live,' declares the Lord Jehovah, 'I will deal with you according to your anger and according to your envy, what you showed because of your hatred against them. I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

Saul became very angry because he considered this saying to be insulting. He said: To David they credit tens of thousands but to me they credit only a few thousand. The only thing left for David is my kingdom.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his works are from meekness because of wisdom. If you have bitter jealousy (envy) and greedy ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and lie against the truth. This wisdom is not a wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish. read more.
For where jealousy and selfishness are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

he is proud, knows nothing, has a morbid interest in questions and disputes about words, which leads to envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,

Put away all badness and all deception, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil talk. Like newborn infants, long for the spiritual milk that is without deception to help you grow to salvation.

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

Daniel was distinguished above the other commissioners and the governors because an excellent spirit (mind) was in him. Therefore the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful.

Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying: Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He has gained all his wealth from him.

O Jehovah, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame. Let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them.

They are filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil mindedness; they are whisperers,

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses' helper since he was a young man, spoke up and said to Moses: Stop them, sir! Moses asked him: Do you think you need to stand up for me? I wish all Jehovah's people were prophets and that Jehovah would put his Spirit on them! Then Moses and the elders of Israel went back to the camp.

But all this is nothing to me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew seated by the king's gate.

He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast (he had a bad attitude).

Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he was married to a Cushite woman from Sudan. They asked: Did Jehovah speak only through Moses? Did he not also speak through us? Jehovah heard their complaint. Moses was a very humble (meek) man. He was more humble than anyone else on earth. read more.
Suddenly, Jehovah said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: All three of you come to the tent of meeting. So all three of them went to the tent. Then Jehovah came down in the column of smoke and stood at the entrance to the tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam. They both came forward. He said: Listen to my words: 'When there are prophets of Jehovah among you, I make myself known to them in visions or speak to them in dreams. But this is not the way I treat my servant Moses. He is the most faithful person in my household. I speak with him face to face. I speak plainly and not in riddles. He even sees the form of Jehovah. Why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?' Jehovah was angry with them, so he left. After the smoke left the tent, Miriam was covered with an infectious skin disease. She was as white as snow. Aaron turned to her and saw she was covered with the disease.

For he knew that it was out of envy the chief priests delivered him up.

If you have bitter jealousy (envy) and greedy ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and lie against the truth.

For where jealousy and selfishness are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

Or do you think the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the attitude of the heart (mental disposition) that he induced to live in us cause us to envy?

He possessed flocks and herds and a great household. The Philistines envied him.

Leah replied: Is it not enough that you took my husband? Are you also going to take my son's mandrake plants? Rachel responded: Very well, Jacob can go to bed with you tonight in return for your son's mandrake plants.

But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn (firstlings) of his flock. Jehovah looked with favor on Abel and his offering. He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast (he had a bad attitude). Jehovah said to Cain: Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? read more.
If you do what is right, will not your attitude improve? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must master it. While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying: Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father. He has gained all his wealth from him.

But all this is nothing to me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew seated by the king's gate.

Rachel had not borne Jacob any children. As a result, she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob: Give me children, or I will die.

Then the commissioners and the governors sought to find a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom. They could find no charge, nor error, nor fault, for he was faithful.

Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. His father kept thinking about the whole matter.