James 4:5
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Note d'étude
Study Note
The citation 'the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy' presents one of the most text-critically disputed verses in James, as no known Old Testament text matches it precisely, leading to suggestions that it quotes a lost apocryphal source or paraphrases the general thrust of Genesis 6 or Proverbs. The verse may alternatively be read as a question ('do ye think the scripture speaketh in vain?') with 'the spirit' referring to the Holy Spirit given in believers rather than the human spirit prone to jealousy. Either reading serves the contextual argument of 4:1-6: the source of conflict is desire (epithumia) operating within people, and God opposes the proud while giving grace to the humble (v. 6, quoting Proverbs 3:34). The verse's difficulty has made it a locus classicus for discussions of New Testament use of extra-canonical sources.
Autres traductions
Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
Do ye think that emptily the Writing saith, `To envy earnestly desireth the spirit that did dwell in us,'
Or does it seem to you that it is for nothing that the holy Writings say, The spirit which God put into our hearts has a strong desire for us?
Références croisées
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts …
And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the …
For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me …
And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and …
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the Lord.