Bible Strands
James 3:14
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — James addresses a community of believers, continuing his contrast between wisdom that produces humility and motives that fracture community.
The words — ζῆλον πικρόν (zēlon pikron) translates literally to "bitter jealousy," and ἐριθείαν (eritheian) denotes "selfish ambition" or "self-interest."
The thread — The passage directly precedes James 3:16, which states that jealousy and selfish ambition produce disorder and every evil practice, and aligns with 1 Corinthians 13:4 and Philippians 2:3 in opposing prideful self-advancement.
Why it lands — The text commands readers to stop boasting and refusing truth when bitter jealousy and selfish ambition occupy the heart, requiring immediate correction of internal motives before outward behavior.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Cross-references
- James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 for 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?
- Romans 13:13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
- 2 Corinthians 12:20 For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
- 1 Peter 2:1 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
- Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
- 1 Timothy 6:4 he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
- Titus 3:3 For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.