James 4:2
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“You 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.”
A short, plain-language explanation of James 4:2 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“You 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.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
King James Version · Public Domain“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“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;”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo James 4:2 — 12 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Kings 21:6Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’”
- Proverbs 1:19Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
- Ecclesiastes 4:8There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
- Isaiah 7:12But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask; I will not test the LORD.”
- Habakkuk 2:5and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own.
- Matthew 7:7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Luke 11:9So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- John 4:10Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
- John 16:24Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
- 1 Timothy 6:9Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
- James 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- James 5:1Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).