James 4:3

New International Reader's Version

When you do ask for something, you don’t receive it. That’s because you ask for the wrong reason. You want to spend your money on your sinful pleasures.

Cross References

1 Kings 3:11

So God said to him, “You have not asked to live for a long time. You have not asked to be wealthy. You have not even asked to have your enemies killed. Instead, you have asked for wisdom. You want to do what is right and fair when you judge people. Because that is what you have asked for,

Job 35:12

He doesn’t answer sinful people when they cry out to him. That’s because they are so proud.

Psalm 18:41

They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them. They called out to the Lord. But he didn’t answer them.

Proverbs 1:28

“Then you will call to me. But I won’t answer. You will look for me. But you won’t find me.

Proverbs 15:8

The Lord hates the sacrifice of sinful people. But the prayers of honest people please him.

Proverbs 21:13

Whoever refuses to listen to the cries of poor people will also cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 21:27

God hates sacrifices that are brought by evil people. He hates it even more when they bring them for the wrong reason.

Jeremiah 11:11

So I say, ‘I will bring trouble on them. They will not be able to escape it. They will cry out to me. But I will not listen to them.

Jeremiah 11:14

“Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not make any appeal or request for them. They will call out to me when they are in trouble. But I will not listen to them.

Jeremiah 14:12

Even if they go without food, I will not listen to their cry for help. They might sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings. But I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with war, hunger and plague.”

Micah 3:4

The time will come when Israel will cry out to the Lord. But he won’t answer them. In fact, he’ll turn his face away from them. They have done what is evil.

Zechariah 7:13

“When I called, they did not listen,” says the Lord. “So when they called, I would not listen.

Matthew 20:22

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup of suffering I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.

Mark 10:38

“You don’t know what you’re asking for,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup of suffering I drink? Or can you go through the baptism of suffering I must go through?”

Luke 11:10

Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. And the door will be opened to the one who knocks.

Luke 15:13

“Not long after that, the younger son packed up all he had. Then he left for a country far away. There he wasted his money on wild living.

Luke 15:30

But this son of yours wasted your money with some prostitutes. Now he comes home. And for him you kill the fattest calf!’

James 4:1

Why do you fight and argue among yourselves? Isn’t it because of your sinful desires? They fight within you.

1 John 3:22

And he will give us anything we ask. That’s because we obey his commands. We do what pleases him.

1 John 5:14

Here is what we can be sure of when we come to God in prayer. If we ask anything in keeping with what he wants, he hears us.