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Read the Bible

New King James Version

James 3:16

For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Envy;   Minister, Christian;   Righteousness;   Strife;   Thompson Chain Reference - Evil;   Quietness-Tumult;   Strife;   Tumults;   Unity-Strife;   Works;   The Topic Concordance - Confusion;   Envy;   Evil;   Strife;   Wisdom;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Envy;   Strife;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jealousy;   Wisdom;   Work;   World;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Envy;   Fool, Foolishness, Folly;   Hypocrisy;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Contentment;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James, the General Epistle of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - James, the Letter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Envy;   Hosea;   James, Epistle of;   Jealousy;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Envy;   Jealousy;   Zeal (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - 42 Evil Wicked;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Confusion;   Emulation;   Envy;   James, Epistle of;   Jealousy;   Wisdom;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 12;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
King James Version (1611)
For where enuying and strife is, there is confusion, and euery euill worke.
King James Version
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
English Standard Version
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
New American Standard Bible
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
New Century Version
Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Berean Standard Bible
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
Contemporary English Version
Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things.
Complete Jewish Bible
For where there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disharmony and every foul practice.
Darby Translation
For where emulation and strife [are], there [is] disorder and every evil thing.
Easy-to-Read Version
Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there will be confusion and every kind of evil.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For where enuying and strife is, there is sedition, and all maner of euill workes.
George Lamsa Translation
For wherever envy and strife are, there is confusion and every sort of evil.
Good News Translation
Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.
Lexham English Bible
For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
Literal Translation
For where jealousy and contention are , there is confusion and every foul deed.
Amplified Bible
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder [unrest, rebellion] and every evil thing and morally degrading practice.
American Standard Version
For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.
Bible in Basic English
For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.
Hebrew Names Version
For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.
International Standard Version
For wherever jealousy and rivalry exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.1 Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:20;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
For where there are envy and contention, there also are tumult and every thing that is evil.
Murdock Translation
For where envy and contention are, there also is confusion, and every thing wrong.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For where enuiyng and strife is, there is sedition & all maner of euyll workes.
English Revised Version
For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.
World English Bible
For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For where bitter zeal and strife is, there is unquietness and every evil work.
Weymouth's New Testament
For where envy and rivalry are, there also are unrest and every vile deed.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For where is enuye and strijf, there is vnstidfastnesse and al schrewid werk.
Update Bible Version
For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.
Webster's Bible Translation
For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work.
New English Translation
For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.
New Living Translation
For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
New Life Bible
Wherever you find jealousy and fighting, there will be trouble and every other kind of wrong-doing.
New Revised Standard
For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, where jealousy and rivalry are, there, are anarchy and every ignoble deed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For where envying and contention is: there is inconstancy and every evil work.
Revised Standard Version
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For where envyinge and stryfe is there is stablenes and all maner of evyll workes.
Young's Literal Translation
for where zeal and rivalry [are], there is insurrection and every evil matter;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For where enuyenge and stryfe is, there is vnstablenes and all maner of euell workes.
Mace New Testament (1729)
where false zeal, and a spirit of contention reign, there confusion and every vice prevail.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Where there's a cowboy ridin' in selfishness and jealousy, there's a cougar in the calvin' pen.

Contextual Overview

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

where: James 3:14, 1 Corinthians 3:3, Galatians 5:20

there: Genesis 11:9, *marg. Acts 19:29, 1 Corinthians 14:33

confusion: Gr. tumult, or, unquietness

every: 1 John 3:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:7 - a strife Genesis 38:9 - lest that Judges 9:49 - put them Judges 12:1 - we will burn Proverbs 29:22 - a furious Zechariah 11:14 - I cut Matthew 5:9 - are Matthew 13:27 - whence Mark 3:25 - General Romans 12:18 - General 1 Peter 2:1 - envies

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
Romans 5:12-21">[xr] Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
Genesis 3:6
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Genesis 3:8
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:9
Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
Genesis 3:11
And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
Genesis 3:12
Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you."
Genesis 3:17
Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, "You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ver. 16 For where envying and strife is,.... Where these are cherished in the heart, and especially where they break out into action, in families, neighbourhoods, states, or churches:

there is confusion and every evil work; these occasion disturbances, raise uneasiness, make disquietude, and cause tumults whenever they appear; and put persons upon doing everything that is wicked, to gratify such insatiable lusts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion - Margin, tumult or unquietness. Everything is unsettled and agitated. There is no mutual confidence; there is no union of plan and effort; there is no co-operation in promoting a common object; there is no stability in any plan; for a purpose, though for good, formed by one portion, is defeated by another.

And every evil work - Of the truth of this no one can have any doubt who has observed the effects in a family or neighborhood where a spirit of strife prevails. All love and harmony of course are banished; all happiness disappears; all prosperity is at an end. In place of the peaceful virtues which ought to prevail, there springs up every evil passion that tends to mar the peace of a community. Where this spirit prevails in a church, it is of course impossible to expect any progress in divine things; and in such a church any effort to do good is vain.

“The Spirit, like a peaceful dove,

Flies from the realms of noise and strife.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. For where envying and strife is] ζηλοςκαιεριθεια. Zeal-fiery, inflammatory passion, and contention-altercations about the different points of the law, of no use for edification, such as those mentioned, Titus 3:9. The Jews were the most intolerant of all mankind; it was a maxim with them to kill those who would not conform to their law; and their salvation they believed to be impossible. This has been the spirit of Popery, and of the Romish Church at large; in vain do they attempt to deny it; they have written it in characters of blood and fire even in this country, (England,) when they were possessed of political power. With them it is still an established maxim, that out of their Church there is no redemption; and fire and faggot have been in that Church legal means of conversion or extinction. In the short popish reign of Mary in this country, besides multitudes who suffered by fine, imprisonment, confiscation, c., two hundred and seventy-seven were burnt alive, among whom were one archbishop, four bishops, twenty-one clergymen, eight lay gentlemen, eighty-four tradesmen, one hundred husbandmen, fifty-five women, and four children! O earth! thou hast not drunk their blood but their ashes have been strewed on the face of the field.


 
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