Bible Verses About Jealousy

Bible verses about jealousy and envy, their destructive effects, and how to overcome them through faith. Scripture warns that envy corrodes the soul and disrupts community, while pointing believers toward gratitude and trust in God's unique plan for each person.

King James Version
30A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
Proverbs 14:30
16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
James 3:16
26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:26
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1 Corinthians 13:4
4Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
Proverbs 27:4
6Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Song of Solomon 8:6
17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
Exodus 20:17
13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Romans 13:13
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
1Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
1 Peter 2:1

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ContentmentLoveHumility

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about jealousy?

Proverbs 14:30 says 'envy is the rottenness of the bones.' James 3:16 warns that where envy exists, there is confusion and every evil work. Galatians 5:19-21 lists jealousy among the works of the flesh. The Bible consistently presents envy as destructive to both the individual and community.

How is jealousy different from godly jealousy?

Scripture speaks of God being jealous for His people (Exodus 34:14) — a protective, covenantal love that desires exclusive devotion. Human jealousy, by contrast, is typically selfish coveting of what belongs to another. God's jealousy flows from love and seeks the beloved's good; sinful jealousy flows from insecurity and seeks self-gratification.

How can Christians overcome jealousy?

The Bible prescribes several remedies: rejoicing with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15), cultivating gratitude for God's unique gifts to you (1 Corinthians 12:18), remembering that love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4), and trusting God's sovereign plan for your life (Psalms 37:4). Envy fades when we genuinely believe God is good and His provision for us is sufficient.