25 Bible Verses About Jealousy (NIV & KJV)

Jealousy is a quiet thief that steals joy, peace, and relationships. The Bible speaks honestly about envy as one of the most corrosive sins of the human heart, a craving for what others have that breeds bitterness and strife. Yet Scripture also offers a better way: contentment, gratitude, and a love that rejoices in the blessings of others.

These Bible verses about jealousy expose how envy rots the soul and disrupts community. From the warnings of Proverbs to the teaching of the apostles, Scripture reveals that jealousy is a work of the flesh, while love and contentment are fruits of walking with God.

This collection of Bible Scriptures is for anyone wrestling with envy and longing to find freedom in trusting God and celebrating His goodness to others.

⚠️ The Destructive Power of Jealousy

Scripture warns that envy harms the one who harbors it, rotting the bones and stirring strife.

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”— Proverbs 14:30 (NIV)“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”— Proverbs 14:30 (KJV)

“Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”— Proverbs 27:4 (NIV)“Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?”— Proverbs 27:4 (KJV)

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”— James 3:16 (NIV)“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”— James 3:16 (KJV)

“Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.”— James 3:15 (NIV)“This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.”— James 3:15 (KJV)

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.”— Romans 13:13 (NIV)“Let 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 (KJV)

🚫 Jealousy as a Work of the Flesh

The Bible lists envy among the sins that do not belong in the life of a believer.

“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 (NIV)“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, 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 (KJV)

“Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”— Galatians 5:26 (NIV)“Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”— Galatians 5:26 (KJV)

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”— 1 Peter 2:1 (NIV)“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,”— 1 Peter 2:1 (KJV)

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”— Titus 3:3 (NIV)“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”— Titus 3:3 (KJV)

💔 Where Jealousy Leads

Scripture shows the bitter fruit of envy in conflict, harm, and a troubled heart.

“You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?”— 1 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”— 1 Corinthians 3:3 (KJV)

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”— James 4:1 (NIV)“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”— James 4:1 (KJV)

“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.”— James 4:2 (NIV)“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”— James 4:2 (KJV)

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”— 1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

“Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company;”— Proverbs 24:1 (NIV)“Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.”— Proverbs 24:1 (KJV)

🌿 Contentment Over Envy

In place of jealousy, God calls His people to be content and to trust His provision.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”— 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”— 1 Timothy 6:6 (KJV)

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.””— Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”— Hebrews 13:5 (KJV)

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”— Philippians 4:11 (NIV)“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”— Philippians 4:11 (KJV)

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”— Galatians 6:9 (NIV)“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”— Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

“A person is praised according to their prudence, and one with a warped mind is despised.”— Proverbs 12:8 (NIV)“A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.”— Proverbs 12:8 (KJV)

❤️ Love That Rejoices With Others

True love delights in the good of others and replaces envy with genuine joy.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”— Romans 12:15 (NIV)“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”— Romans 12:15 (KJV)

“not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”— Philippians 2:4 (NIV)“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”— Philippians 2:4 (KJV)

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”— Philippians 2:3 (NIV)“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”— Philippians 2:3 (KJV)

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”— Philippians 2:3 (NIV)“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”— Philippians 2:3 (KJV)

“Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”— Romans 13:10 (NIV)“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”— Romans 13:10 (KJV)

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”— 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”— 1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Jealousy?

The Bible treats jealousy and envy as serious sins that damage both the person who harbors them and the community around them. Scripture warns that "envy the rottenness of the bones" (Proverbs 14:30) and lists "envyings" among the works of the flesh that have no place in the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). Jealousy springs from a discontented heart that resents the blessings of others, and it produces strife, confusion, and "every evil work" (James 3:16).

The remedy Scripture offers is contentment, gratitude, and love. Paul learned to be content "in whatsoever state I am" (Philippians 4:11), and the Bible reminds us that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). Genuine love "envieth not" (1 Corinthians 13:4) but instead rejoices with those who rejoice. By trusting God's provision and celebrating His goodness in others' lives, we trade the bitterness of envy for the freedom of a thankful heart.

Walking free from jealousy opens the way to deeper peace and love. To continue growing, explore these Bible verses about anger, these Bible verses about love, and these Bible verses about self-control.