James 3:14
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But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
if ye have--as is the case (this is implied in the Greek indicative). bitter-- Eph 4:31, "bitterness." envying--rather, "emulation," or literally, "zeal": kindly, generous emulation, or zeal, is not condemned, but that which is "bitter" [BENGEL]. strife--rather, "rivalry." in your hearts--from which flow your words and deeds, as from a fountain. glory not, and lie not against the truth--To boast of your wisdom is virtually a lying against the truth (the gospel), while your lives belie your glorying. Jam 3:15; Jam 1:18, "The word of truth." Rom 2:17, Rom 2:23, speaks similarly of the same contentious Jewish Christians.
Open source ↗The apostle here reproves ambition, and an arrogant magisterial tongue; and shows the duty and advantage of bridling it because of its power to do mischief. Those who profess religion ought especially to govern their tongues (Jam 3:1-12). True wisdom makes men meek, and avoiders of strife and envy: and hereby it may easily be distinguished from a wisdom that is earthly and hypocritical (Jam 3:13 to the end).
Open source ↗3:14 The truth is that wisdom cannot be associated with jealousy and selfish ambition. Only in humility can we receive God’s true word (1:18, 21).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,