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Orἢdo you thinkδοκεῖτεthatὅτιthe Scriptureἡ γραφὴsaysλέγειin vain,κενῶςWithΠρὸςenvyφθόνονyearnsἐπιποθεῖthe spiritτὸ πνεῦμαthatὃhe made to dwellκατῴκισενinἐνus?ἡμῖν
James 4:5
Study it in the app“Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, With envy yearns the spirit that he made to dwell in us?”
With the Greek beneath
James 4:5, word by word
- do you thinkδοκεῖτεdokeite
think
To hold something as true in one's mind, rightly or not.
Where else “dokeite” appears- the Scriptureγραφὴgraphē
Scripture
Scripture: the sacred text; "the Scriptures", the Old Testament.
Where else “graphē” appears- saysλέγειlegei
state
What something written says, like Scripture.
Where else “legei” appears- in vainκενῶςkenōs
in vain
In vain, to no purpose.
Where else “kenōs” appears- envyφθόνονphthonon
envy
Envy.
Where else “phthonon” appears- yearnsἐπιποθεῖepipothei
long for
Long for, desire greatly.
Where else “epipothei” appears- the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma
Spirit
God himself at work, giving life and dwelling in believers.
Where else “pneuma” appears
Translation note
A difficult verse. The exact passage it quotes is not known. It can be understood that God jealously yearns for the spirit he placed in us, or that the human spirit desires enviously.
The context
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.
5 · This verse (above)
6But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
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?