Bible Verses About Jealousy and Envy

King James Version · 15 passages

Envy is the rottenness of the bones, Scripture says, and it cannot be reasoned with — who is able to stand before it? Jealousy compares, covets, and quietly despises the goodness of God in someone else's life. These passages expose envy for what it is, and point to the sound heart that is content with what the Lord has given.

Proverbs 14:30

30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

See also: Proverbs 17:22 · Proverbs 4:23 · Proverbs 3:8 · Job 5:2

James 3:14–16

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. sensual: or, natural 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. confusion: Gr. tumult, or, unquietness

See also: James 3:16 · James 3:14 · 1 Corinthians 13:4 · James 3:17

1 Corinthians 13:4

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, vaunteth...: or, is not rash

Galatians 5:26

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Proverbs 27:4

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Wrath...: Heb. Wrath is cruelty, and anger an overflowing envy: or, jealousy?

See also: Proverbs 6:34 · Proverbs 14:30 · James 3:14 · Acts 7:9

Psalms 37:1–3

1 [A Psalm of David.] Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. verily: Heb. in truth, or, stableness

See also: Jeremiah 17:7 · Psalms 37:7 · Matthew 6:31 · Psalms 62:8

Proverbs 23:17

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

James 4:1–3

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? fightings: or, brawlings lusts: or, pleasures 2 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. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. lusts: or, pleasures

See also: 1 Peter 2:11 · 1 John 5:14 · Galatians 5:17 · John 16:24

1 Peter 2:1–2

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Ecclesiastes 4:4

4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. every...: Heb. all the rightness of work for this...: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour

Galatians 5:19–21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 13:13–14

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. honestly: or, decently 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Proverbs 24:1–2

1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. 2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

See also: Psalms 37:7 · Proverbs 23:17 · Proverbs 3:31 · James 4:5

Genesis 37:11

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

See also: Acts 7:9 · Luke 2:51 · Luke 2:19 · Daniel 7:28

1 Corinthians 3:3

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? divisions: or, factions as men: Gr. according to man?

See also: James 3:16 · Galatians 5:15 · Titus 3:3 · Ephesians 4:22