James 4:1

Translations

Modern

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

Traditional

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

Literal

From where are battles and from where are fights among you? Is it not from there, out of your pleasures warring in your members?

Latin

Unde bella et lites in vobis? nonne hinc: ex concupiscentiis vestris, quæ militant in membris vestris?

Original

Greek

English

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

Notes

James 4:1

Conflicts and quarrels (literally wars and battles): James uses military imagery to show that their own evil desires cause the battles among church members. These desires are at war within themselves. James uses the Greek word for passions again in 4:3 (translated as “pleasures”). This frames the entire paragraph and show the source of conflict and unanswered prayer (Luke 8:14; Titus 3:3).

Theme notes and profiles

James, Brother of Jesus The Coming of the Lord as Judge

Related verses

1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Romans 7:23
But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.
James 1:14
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
Romans 8:7
…because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
1 John 2:15–17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jude 1:16–18
These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
2 Peter 3:3
Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
Mark 7:21–23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

Glossary

Haggai, Book of Letter of James

Topics

Ambition: Leads to Strife and Contention Ambition: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Anger Management Arguments Controlling Anger Controlling your Anger Controlling your Thoughts Crisis Disagreement Fighting Back God Provides Grudges Killing in War Lust: Evil Desire Quarreling Rumors Self Centeredness Selfish Ambitions Sibling Rivalry Sin: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To, Defining and Illustrating Strife: Excited by Lusts Strife: General Scriptures Concerning War: Originates in the Lusts of Men Weariness

James 4:1

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Translations

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Notes

Related verses

Glossary

Topics