35 Bible Verses About Jealousy and How To Overcome It

Blocks that spell out "Envy"

There is one thing that will destroy your joy quickly and that is jealousy—when we want what we can't have and tend to obsess over it. Instead of being happy for the good things that happen to family, neighbors and friends, we might want those things for ourselves and could view anyone else's good fortune as being unfair. 

This jealousy robs us of our happiness. It's funny how we can be perfectly content and then BAM, a friend acquires a dream job or finds their soul mate and we get a sudden pang of resentment. Our focus changes and eats away at our contentment—leaving us with many negative feelings.

Envy is so common in our everyday lives that it's no wonder that there is so much written about it in scripture. Luckily, there are many ways to overcome this particular "green monster." Here are 35 Bible verses about jealousy that help us to change our focus and enjoy an abundant life. 

Related: Calm Your Mind and Find Peace With These 25 Bible Verses About Stress

What Does the Bible Say About Jealousy?

The Bible explains that jealousy is a sin and needs to be dealt with. This verse in James portrays the harsh reality of it: “However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic” (James 3:14-15).

True joy comes from what God has done for us by His grace and mercy. This joy is not dependent on our circumstances but is based on receiving His gift of eternal life through Jesus. Satan wants to rob us of that joy by trying to switch our focus on ourselves and our wants. We need to recognize where jealousy stems from and turn away from it. 

Related: 'She Is Clothed With Strength and Dignity' 45 Uplifting Bible Verses About Women

How Does God Say To Overcome Jealousy?

1. Count Your Blessings

When the ugly green monster rears its head, one of the best ways to overcome those envious feelings is to count your blessings. Once you start thinking about or writing down all of the good things in your life, you begin to gain a better perspective of all of your blessings. Then, thank God for what you do have, and you'll be able to overcome jealousy with gratitude instead. 

The Bible shares the importance of praising God for everything. The psalmist wrote in Psalms 103:2, "Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me."

2. Don't Believe the Lie

The world will tell you that you would be happier if only you had that new car, house, boat or whatever you think you want. However, material things will never be enough for true happiness. Sure, we may enjoy that new thing initially, but that thrill wears off quickly and then we are looking for the next new thing. 

The same is true with situations. It's common for us to think that the grass is always greener on the other side. However, if everyone thinks that, then where is the green grass actually?

3. Pray and Repent

To get our hearts in the right place, we have to consciously turn away from those envious feelings when they creep up. The best thing is to pray right away. Admit to God what you are feeling, claim his promises and ask Him to give you the right focus. 

Just the act of prayer can help change our focus to looking above rather than at the worldly things around us. God can help you replace those uneasy feelings of desire with peace and contentment in Him instead. 

Related: 'His Compassions Never Fail'—50 Comforting Bible Verses About God's Love

35 Bible Verses About Jealousy

1. "A peaceful mind gives life to the body, but jealousy rots the bones.” - Proverbs 14:30

2. “Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil.” - James 3:16

3. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." - Exodus 20:17

4. "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. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." - James 4:2-3

5. “We were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, and slaves to our desires and various pleasures too. We were spending our lives in evil behavior and jealousy. We were disgusting, and we hated other people.” - Titus 3:3

6. “Therefore, get rid of all ill will and all deceit, pretense, envy, and slander. Instead, like a newborn baby, desire the pure milk of the word. Nourished by it, you will grow into salvation, since you have tasted that the Lord is good.” - 1 Peter 2:1-3

7. “Now you are still not up to it because you are still unspiritual. When jealousy and fighting exist between you, aren’t you unspiritual and living by human standards?” - 1 Corinthians 3:3

8. "Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?" - Proverbs 27:4

9. "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." - Ecclesiastes 4:4

10. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." - Philippians 2:3

11. "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Galatians 5:14

12. “Don’t envy evil people, and don’t long to be with them.” - Proverbs 24:1

13. "For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge." - Proverbs 6:34

14. “For anger slays the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple.” - Job 5:2

15. "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Galatians 5:19-21

16. "Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy." - Romans 13:13

17. "Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways." - Proverbs 3:31

18. "Do not let your heart envy sinners but live in the fear of the Lord always." - Proverbs 23:17

19. "If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain." 1 Timothy 6:3-5

20. "Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant." - 1 Corinthians 13:4

21. "Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will;" - Philippians 1:15

22. "Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another." - Galatians 5:26

23. "But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another." - Galatians 6:4

24. "Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." Psalm 37:1-3

25. "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." - Colossians 3:2

26. "Don’t let evil conquer you but conquer evil by doing good." - Romans 12:21

27. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23

28. "The Lord shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven." - Deuteronomy 29:20

29. "Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins." - Joshua 24:19

30. "Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed." - 1 Kings 14:22

31. "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions." - Proverbs 10:12

32. "Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip." - Romans 1:29

33. “However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic.” - James 3:14-15

34. "The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him." - Acts 7:9

35. "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” - Hebrews 13:5

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