James Chapter 4 verse 2 Holy Bible

ASV James 4:2

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
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BBE James 4:2

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.
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DARBY James 4:2

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.
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KJV James 4:2

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.
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WBT James 4:2


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WEB James 4:2

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.
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YLT James 4:2

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;
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James 4 : 2 Bible Verse Songs

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2, 3) Ye lust, and have not . . .--Better thus: Ye desire, and have not; ye kill, and envy, and cannot obtain; ye fight and make war; ye have not, because ye ask not; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask that ye may spend it on your lusts. It is interesting to notice the sharp crisp sentences, recollecting at the same time that St. James himself fell a victim to the passions he thus assails, probably at the hands of a zealot mob. The marginal note to the second of the above paragraphs gives envy as an alternative reading for "kill": but this is an error. "Ye kill and play the zealot" would be still nearer the original: for, as with Jedburgh justice in the old Border wars, hanging preceded the trial, so with these factions in Jerusalem death went first, almost before the desire to deal it. Lust, envy, strife, and murder:--like the tale of human passion in all ages, the dreadful end draws on. It is written in every national epic; its elements abound in the life of each individual: the slaughter in Etzel's halls overshadows the first lines of the Nibelungen-lied; the curse of Medea hangs like a gathering cloud around Jason and his Argonauts. Is it objected (James 4:3) that prayer is made but not answered? The reply is obvious; Ye ask not in the true sense; when ye do ask ye receive not, because God is too loving, even in His anger. Nevertheless, remember, He gave the Israelites "their desire, and sent leanness withal into their soul" (Psalm 106:15). "I," said He by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 14:4), "will answer him that cometh to Me, according to his idols." What greater curse could fall than an eternity of avarice to the miser, of pollution to the sensual, of murder to the violent? Many a man of quiet Christian life will thank God by-and-by, when he knows even as he is known (1Corinthians 13:12), that not a few of his prayers were unanswered, or at least that they were not granted in the way which he had desired. Safety is only to be found in our Lord's own manner of petition, "Not my will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42). Alas! in shameful contrast to this we read of many an evil-hearted prayer offered up to the Lord our Righteousness; invocations of saints for help in unholy deeds; of angels, for acts rather befitting devils of the pit; and can hardly have the conscience to reproach the heathen for supplicating their gods in no worse a manner for no better cause.Parallel Commentaries ...GreekYou craveἐπιθυμεῖτε (epithymeite)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 1937: To long for, covet, lust after, set the heart upon. From epi and thumos; to set the heart upon, i.e. Long for.[what]καὶ (kai)ConjunctionStrong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. {you do} notοὐκ (ouk)AdverbStrong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.have.ἔχετε (echete)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.You killφονεύετε (phoneuete)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 5407: To murder, kill. From phoneus; to be a murderer.andκαὶ (kai)ConjunctionStrong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. covet,ζηλοῦτε (zēloute)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 2206: From zelos; to have warmth of feeling for or against.butκαὶ (kai)ConjunctionStrong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. are unableδύνασθε (dynasthe)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.to obtain [it].ἐπιτυχεῖν (epitychein)Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveStrong's 2013: To attain, obtain, acquire. From epi and tugchano; to chance upon, i.e. to attain.You quarrelμάχεσθε (machesthe)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 3164: To engage in battle, fight; hence: To strive, contend, dispute. andκαὶ (kai)ConjunctionStrong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. fight.πολεμεῖτε (polemeite)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 4170: To make war, contend, fight, battle. From polemos; to be in warfare, i.e. To battle: -fight, war.You do not have,ἔχετε (echete)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralStrong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.becauseδιὰ (dia)PrepositionStrong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.youὑμᾶς (hymas)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person PluralStrong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.{do} notμὴ (mē)AdverbStrong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.ask.αἰτεῖσθαι (aiteisthai)Verb - Present Infinitive MiddleStrong's 154: To ask, request, petition, demand. Of uncertain derivation; to ask.Jump to PreviousAble Begin Burning Commit Covet Death Desire Desires End Envious Envy Fight Fighting Full Gain Kill Lust Making Murder Obtain Passionate Quarrel Request Want War