Bible Verses About Jealousy And Envy

What does the Bible say about jealousy and envy?

Many people ask is jealousy a sin? Jealousy is not always a sin, but most of the time it is. Jealousy is not a sin when you are jealous over something that belongs to you. God is a jealous God. We were made for Him. He created us. We are not to serve other gods. A husband will be jealous if he sees his wife always hanging around another man. She is for him.

We must be careful when it comes to jealousy and envy because many times the root cause of heinous crimes is envy. We must be on guard and we must thank the Lord for every small thing that we have. I’ve watched jealousy ruin friendships. I’ve watched it ruin people’s character.

This is not some sin that we can overlook. God punishes people for envy and slander. He hates it. Envy leads many people to Hell and it stops them from seeing the beauty of Christ. We have all been envious before and some of us might even struggle with this.

Thank God for His grace in Jesus Christ, but we have to fight. I don’t want to envy anymore. As long as I have you my Lord I’ll be satisfied. Take this world and give me Jesus!

Christian quotes about jealousy

“Jealousy is a form of hatred built upon insecurity.”

“Jealousy is when you count someone else’s blessings instead of your own.”

“When there are dissensions, and jealousies, and evil speakings among professors of religion, then there is great need of a revival. These things show that Christians have got far from God, and it is time to think earnestly of a revival.” – Charles Finney

“People who are intimidated by you talk bad about you with hopes that others won’t find you so appealing.”

“Don’t ruin other people’s happiness just because you can’t find your own.”

“Don’t compare your insides with other people’s outsides.”

“The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.” Jerry Bridges

“Covetousness swells the principal to no purpose, and lessens the use to all purposes.” Jeremy Taylor

“[God was] jealous for your salvation as He brought the gospel to you in one way and another, through one person and another, through one means and another, until finally He broke through in the power of the Holy Spirit and brought you to living faith. What is more, He is jealous for you now, jealous for your spiritual welfare, jealous for you in every temptation and trial, jealous lest you should be robbed by covetousness, compromise, worldliness, prayerlessness or disobedience in any shape or form. He is jealous that you should have that fullness of blessing, those riches of grace that He longs to bestow upon every one of you His people.”

“Anytime you feel jealous or envious, you reject your uniqueness. It’s a criticism of God’s plan for you.” — Rick Warren

“Never speak from a place of hate, jealousy, anger or insecurity. Evaluate your words before you let them leave your lips. Sometimes it’s best to be quiet.”

Why do you buy the things that you do?

Most purchases deep down are bought out of envy, but most will not admit it. They will say I like it. There are headphones called Dre Beats being sold for $300+. People see others with it so they buy it. You can buy better quality headphones for $40. Most of the things that we wear are out of envy.

The reason that there are more immodest clothes today and immodesty is increasing is because women envy the attention that immodest dressing women receive. Envy can lead to financial problems. You might see your friend buy a new car for $5000 cash and instead of buying the $2500 car like you planned you buy a $6000 car. Envy affects our purchases and not only that, but it results in rushed unwise decision making.

Envy makes people say I have to have this now and because they didn’t wait because of their envious spirit they end up with financial problems. Does envy affect the way you spend money? Repent!

1. Ecclesiastes 4:4 “And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

2. Galatians 6:4 “Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else.“

3. Proverbs 14:15 “Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.“

Even ministry work can be done out of envy.

Some people change up their style because they are envious of others. We have to be careful that we are doing things for the glory of God and not the glory of man. Why do you think we have so much prosperity preachers and false teachers? People are envious of the success of other false teachers. People want to be used of God. They want what they have. They want a big ministry, recognition, money, etc. Many times God gives people this and then, He throws them into Hell. Ask yourself this. Why do you do the things that you do?

4. Philippians 1:15 “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.”

5. Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”

6. John 12:43 “for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”

How much time do you spend on social media?

Social media especially Instagram is the big reason for the increase of envy. I guarantee that if you are on it long enough you will start counting the blessings of others and not your own. We have all done it before. We see people taking trips, doing this, doing that, etc. Then, you start to think wow my life stinks! Many times things are not what they seem. People smile for pictures, but are depressed inside. Models don’t look like models without being edited. 

We must take our eyes off of the world. Are you being filled with things of the flesh or things of the spirit? We must put our minds back on Christ. When you are watching back to back love movies what do you think that it is doing to you?

Not only will it cause you to envy the person in the movie, but it will cause you to desire a relationship more and it can lead to envying relationships around you. Sometimes envy is the reason why Christians rush into relationships with unbelievers. When your heart is set on Christ you will never thirst for anything else.

7. Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

8. Proverbs 27:20 “Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.”

9. 1 John 2:16 “For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world.”

Envy hurts you

If you are Christian and you’re constantly on social media there is a strong chance that you will start to envy others. When you envy you are going to feel depressed. You are going to feel worn out. Your heart will not be at peace. Envy destroys you from the inside.

10. Proverbs 14:30 “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

11. Job 5:2 “Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple.”

12. Mark 7:21-22 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.”

Some people don’t want to repent because they envy the wicked.

I have heard people say I am good and I suffer so why does God bless them? People start to look at the lives of others and they resent God. Sometimes mean people that we know might prosper and we as Christians might struggle. We must not envy. We must trust in the Lord. Don’t envy celebrities who used evil methods to get to where they are. Trust in the Lord.

13. Proverbs 3:31 “Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.”

14. Psalm 37:1-3 “Of David. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.”

15. Proverbs 23:17-18 “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”

Jealousy leads to being a hater.

Envy is one of the top reasons why people slander others for no reason. After hearing the good news of others some people search for something negative to say because they are envious. Haters are envious people and they don’t understand that they are envious. They don’t understand that the reason they try to make people look bad in front of others, give people bad advice, and destroy their name is because they are envious. They don’t like someone else getting praise and compliments.

16. Psalm 109:3 “They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without cause.“

17. Psalm 41:6 “When someone comes to visit, he pretends to be friendly; he thinks of ways to defame me, and when he leaves he slanders me.”

Jealousy results in many different sins.

This one sin has led to murder, slander, theft, rape, adultery, and more. Envy is dangerous and it breaks many relationships. Satan envied God and it resulted in him being thrown out of Heaven. Cain envied Abel and it resulted in the first murder ever recorded. We have to be careful when it comes to envy.

18. James 4:2 “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.”

19. Proverbs 27:4 “Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?”

20. James 3:14-16 “But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t brag and deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.“

21. Acts 7:9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him.”

22. Exodus 20:17 “Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

We must be careful that we don’t cause others to envy.

I know what you are saying. It’s not my fault if people envy. Sometimes it can be. Many people struggle with this and we can make it worse by our boasting. Be careful not to boast, which is sinful. If your friend got rejected to a college that just accepted you then don’t rejoice in front of them. Watch what you say and hold on to humility.

23. Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

24. 1 Corinthians 8:9 “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”

Start counting your own blessings.

If you want to overcome jealousy you are going to have to make war with this thing! Take your eyes off of the world. Anything that might be triggering jealously like certain movies, the internet, or social media remove it from your life. You must set your mind on Christ. Sometimes you have to fast. Cry out to Him for help! Make war! You have to fight the temptation! 

25. Romans 13:13-14 “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.“

Bonus

1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”