James 4:3 KJV

The Pulpit Commentary - James 4:3

An evident allusion to the sermon on the mount, Matthew 7:7 , " Ask , and it shall be given to you … for every one that asketh receiveth." And yet St. James says, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss;" for our Lord elsewhere limits his teaching, " All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ," etc. ( Matthew 21:22 ). αἰτεῖτε … αἰτεῖσθε . The active and middle voices are similarly interchanged in 1 John 5:15 , on which Dr. Westcott writes as... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 4:3

Ye ask, and receive not - That is, some of you ask, or you ask on some occasions. Though seeking in general what you desire by strife, and without regard to the rights of others, yet you sometimes pray. It is not uncommon for men who go to war to pray, or to procure the services of a chaplain to pray for them. It sometimes happens that the covetous and the quarrelsome; that those who live to wrong others, and who are fond of litigation, pray. Such men may be professors of religion. They keep up... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 4:2-3

James 4:2-3. Ye lust Επιθυμειτε , ye covet, or eagerly desire; and have not What you desire; you are, some way or other, hindered from attaining that of which you are so greedy; ye kill In your heart; for he that hateth his brother is a murderer. Or he speaks of the actual murders which the carnal Jews, called zealots, committed of the heathen, and even those of their own nation who opposed them. Accordingly, he says, ye kill, Και ζηλουτε , and are zealous, thereby showing,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - James 4:1-12

Worldliness and its results (4:1-12)Continuing his teaching on the evil results of worldly attitudes, James explains why fights and quarrels occur. Selfish ambition fights against the more spiritual motives. Some Christians are constantly looking for more power, increased possessions and higher status. Because they want the wrong things, they do not pray. If they pray, they find their prayers refused, and so try to do things their own way (4:1-3). This is worldliness, and it is opposed to the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 4:3

amiss = with evil intent. Greek. kakos . Compare App-128 . that = in order that. Greek. hina . consume = spend. See Luke 15:14 . upon = in (gratifying). App-104 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 4:3

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures."God answers prayer, but not all prayer, especially not in giving the ungodly the ingredients for selfish gratification."[9] The Bible reveals exactly whose prayers are answered. He hears the cry of the righteous (Psalms 34:15); he hears those who call upon him in truth (Psalms 145:18); and he hears the penitent (Luke 18:14): those who ask "in his name" (John 14:13), those who ask "believing" (Mark 11:24), and... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - James 4:3

3. Some of them are supposed to say in objection, But we do "ask" (pray); compare :-. James replies, It is not enough to ask for good things, but we must ask with a good spirit and intention. "Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it (your object of prayer) upon (literally, 'in') your lusts (literally, 'pleasures')"; not that ye may have the things you need for the service of God. Contrast James 1:5; Matthew 6:31; Matthew 6:32. If ye prayed aright, all your proper wants would be supplied; the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 4:1-10

A. Interpersonal and Inner Personal Tensions 4:1-10"James 4 continues the same topic of strife, and addresses now not only the teachers of James 3:14 but also the rest of the brotherhood who are in similar sin: strife springs from within (James 4:1-3) and is fostered by worldliness; love of the world and love of God cannot coexist (James 4:4-6); Christians must resist the devil and draw near to God (James 4:7-10)." [Note: Adamson, p. 165.] read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 4:2-3

2. The explanation of the conflict 4:2-3 read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 4:3

However, we often ask God for things to enable us to satisfy our own selfish desires. For example, we request more time, more money, more energy so we can do things that we desire but that God does not desire for us. What we need to ask Him to give us is more desire for what He promises and commands. We also need less desire for what is contrary to His will for us (cf. Matthew 7:7-11)."If prayer is no more than a formula (saying the right words, believe hard enough, confess; it will happen),... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - James 4:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 4:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 4:2-3

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - James 4:1-12

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 4:3

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 4:3

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - James 4:3

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 4:1-10

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 4:2-3

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 4:3

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