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James 4:5

James 4:5
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

My Notes

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Baptist theologian, 1697–1771

Gill's Exposition

Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain?.... Some think that the apostle refers to a particular passage of Scripture in the Old Testament, and that he took it from Gen 6:3 as some; or from Exo…

Presbyterian pastor, 1798–1870

Barnes' Notes

Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain - Few passages of the New Testament have given expositors more perplexity than this. The difficulty has arisen from the fact that no such passage as that…

Methodist theologian, 1762–1832

Adam Clarke

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain - This verse is exceedingly obscure. We cannot tell what scripture St. James refers to; many have been produced by learned men as that which he had…

Nonconformist minister, 1662–1714

Matthew Henry

James 4:1-10

The former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring of strifes and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly…

Academic commentary, 1882–1921

Cambridge Bible

the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? The words present a two-fold difficulty: (1) They are quoted as Scripture, and yet no such words are found either in the Canonical or even in the…