James

James 4:1–5

¹What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?^a ²You 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. ³And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

⁴You adulteresses!^b Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself^c an enemy of God. ⁵Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit^d He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?

Footnotes

a 4:1 Literally passions warring among your members?
b 4:4 See Hosea 3:1|HOS 3:1.
c 4:4 Or is appointed
d 4:5 Or the spirit

Read all of James 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

James 4:1

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
What	Πόθεν	Pothen	Adverb	G4159 whence
conflicts	πόλεμοι	polemoi	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G4171 a war, battle, strife
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
quarrels	μάχαι	machai	Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural	G3163 strife, contention, quarrel
among	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
you	ὑμῖν	hymin	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
Don’t	οὐκ	ouk	Adverb	G3756 no, not
from	ἐκ	ek	Preposition	G1537 from out, out from among, from
passions	ἡδονῶν	hēdonōn	Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural	G2237 pleasure, lust, strong desire
at war	στρατευομένων	strateuomenōn	Verb - Present Participle Middle - Genitive Feminine Plural	G4754 I wage war, fight
within	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
you	ὑμῶν	hymōn	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you

James 4:2

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You crave	ἐπιθυμεῖτε	epithymeite	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G1937 I long for, covet, lust after
not	οὐκ	ouk	Adverb	G3756 no, not
have	ἔχετε	echete	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2192 I have, hold, possess
you kill	φονεύετε	phoneuete	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G5407 I murder
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
covet	ζηλοῦτε	zēloute	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2206 I am jealous, eager for
but	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
are unable	δύνασθε	dynasthe	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural	G1410 I am powerful, am able
to obtain	ἐπιτυχεῖν	epitychein	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G2013 I attain, obtain, acquire
You quarrel	μάχεσθε	machesthe	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural	G3164 I engage in battle, fight, strive
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
fight	πολεμεῖτε	polemeite	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G4170 I make war, contend
You do not have	ἔχετε	echete	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2192 I have, hold, possess
because	διὰ	dia	Preposition	G1223 through, on account of
you	ὑμᾶς	hymas	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
ask	αἰτεῖσθαι	aiteisthai	Verb - Present Infinitive Middle	G154 I ask, request, beg, petition

James 4:3

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
you do ask	αἰτεῖτε	aiteite	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G154 I ask, request, beg, petition
not	οὐ	ou	Adverb	G3756 no, not
receive	λαμβάνετε	lambanete	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G2983 I receive, take
because	διότι	dioti	Conjunction	G1360 on this account, because, for
you ask	αἰτεῖσθε	aiteisthe	Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural	G154 I ask, request, beg, petition
with wrong motives	κακῶς	kakōs	Adverb	G2560 badly, evilly
that	ἵνα	hina	Conjunction	G2443 in order that, so that
you may squander	δαπανήσητε	dapanēsēte	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural	G1159 I spend, bear expense, waste
on	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
your	ὑμῶν	hymōn	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
pleasures	ἡδοναῖς	hēdonais	Noun - Dative Feminine Plural	G2237 pleasure, lust, strong desire

James 4:4

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
adulteresses	Μοιχαλίδες	Moichalides	Noun - Vocative Feminine Plural	G3428 an adulteress
Do you not know	οἴδατε	oidate	Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G1492 I know, remember
that	ὅτι	hoti	Conjunction	G3754 that, since, because
friendship	φιλία	philia	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G5373 friendship
with the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
world	κόσμου	kosmou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2889 the world, universe
is	ἐστιν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
hostility	ἔχθρα	echthra	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G2189 enmity, hostility
God	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god
Therefore	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
whoever	ὃς	hos	Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3739 who, which, what, that
chooses	βουληθῇ	boulēthē	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1014 I will, intend, desire
to be	εἶναι	einai	Verb - Present Infinitive Active	G1510 I am, exist
a friend	φίλος	philos	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G5384 friendly, a friend
of the	τοῦ	tou	Article - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3588 the
world	κόσμου	kosmou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2889 the world, universe
renders himself	καθίσταται	kathistatai	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G2525 I set, establish, appoint, conduct
an enemy	ἐχθρὸς	echthros	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2190 hated, hostile, an enemy
of God	Θεοῦ	Theou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2316 God, a god

James 4:5

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Or	ἢ	ē	Conjunction	G2228 or, than
do you think	δοκεῖτε	dokeite	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G1380 I think, seem, appear, it seems
the	ἡ	hē	Article - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
Scripture	γραφὴ	graphē	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G1124 a writing, passage of scripture, the scriptures
says	λέγει	legei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak
without reason	κενῶς	kenōs	Adverb	G2761 falsely, in vain
the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
Spirit	πνεῦμα	pneuma	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G4151 wind, breath, spirit
He caused to dwell	κατῴκισεν	katōkisen	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G2730 I dwell in, settle in, inhabit
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
us	ἡμῖν	hēmin	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural	G1473 I
yearns	ἐπιποθεῖ	epipothei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1971 I long for, strain after, desire greatly
with	Πρὸς	Pros	Preposition	G4314 to, towards, with
envy	φθόνον	phthonon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G5355 envy, a grudge