3
You askαἰτεῖτεandκαὶdo notοὐreceive,λαμβάνετεbecauseδιότιyou askαἰτεῖσθεwrongly,κακῶςso thatἵναyou may spend itδαπανήσητεonἐνyour pleasures.ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν
James 4:3
Study it in the app“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
With the Greek beneath
James 4:3, word by word
- You askαἰτεῖτεaiteite
ask
Ask, ask for.
Where else “aiteite” appears- receiveλαμβάνετεlambanete
receive
To be given something, like the Spirit.
Where else “lambanete” appears- becauseδιότιdioti
because
"Because", "for", "since".
Where else “dioti” appears- wronglyκακῶςkakōs
speak wrongly
To do or say something improperly.
Where else “kakōs” appears- you may spend itδαπανήσητεdapanēsēte
spend
Spend; spend freely, use up.
Where else “dapanēsēte” appears- your pleasuresἡδοναῖςhēdonais
pleasure
Pleasure.
Where else “hēdonais” appears
The context
2You desire and do not have; you murder and are jealous and cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 · This verse (above)
4Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? So whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
To study James 4 in a group
1. What it says
Where does James say the fights and quarrels among you come from (v. 1-3)?
2. What it means
James says "draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (v. 8). What other instructions does he give around that phrase (v. 7-10)?
3. How I live it
James invites us to make plans saying "if the Lord wills" (v. 15). What plan of yours today can you put in God's hands?