So God said to him, ‘Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice,
James 4:3 - Christian Standard Bible Anglicised You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition [Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures. American Standard Version (1901) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures. Common English Bible You ask and don’t have because you ask with evil intentions, to waste it on your own cravings. Catholic Public Domain Version You ask and you do not receive, because you ask badly, so that you may use it toward your own desires. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version You ask, and receive not; because you ask amiss: that you may consume it on your concupiscences. |
So God said to him, ‘Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice,
There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil people.
Then they will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me.
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered.
The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable – how much more so when he brings it with ulterior motives!
‘Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring on them disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not hear them.
‘As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to me at the time of their disaster.
If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague.’
Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time because of the crimes they have committed.
Just as he had called, and they would not listen, so when they called, I would not listen, says the Lord of Armies.
Jesus answered, ‘You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? ’ , ‘We are able,’ they said to him.
Jesus said to them, ‘You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptised with the baptism I am baptised with? ’
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and travelled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.”
What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?
and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight.
This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.