James 4:5 (KJV)

Passage

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

Nearby Context

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "think", "scripture", "saith", "vain", "dwelleth", "lusteth", and "envy". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "think", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not..." into verse 6's "But he giveth more grace Wherefore he...", so "Spirit" and "think" belong inside that flow. In James context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "think" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.