What Does the Bible Say About Envy and Jealousy?
Here are 16 Bible verses about Envy and Jealousy, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1James 3:16
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
BSBFor where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
- #2Proverbs 14:30
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
BSBA tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
- #3James 4:2-3
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. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
BSBYou crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
- #4James 3:14
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
BSBBut if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
- #5Proverbs 27:4
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
BSBWrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?
- #61 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
BSBNo temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
- #7Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
BSBThe acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- #8James 3:14-15
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
BSBBut if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
- #91 Corinthians 3:3
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
BSBfor you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
- #10Romans 12:21
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
BSBDo not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- #11Exodus 20:17
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
BSBYou shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
- #121 Corinthians 13:1-8
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; …
BSBIf I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. …
- #131 John 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
BSBWhoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
- #14Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
BSBHatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
- #15Ecclesiastes 4:4
Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
BSBI saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- #16Psalms 25:4-5
Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
BSBShow me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).