Bible Dictionary: Envy

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) Malice; ill will; spite.

2. (n.) Chagrin, mortification, discontent, or uneasiness at the sight of another's excellence or good fortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages; malicious grudging; -- usually followed by of; as, they did this in envy of Caesar.

3. (n.) Emulation; rivalry.

4. (n.) Public odium; ill repute.

5. (n.) An object of envious notice or feeling.

6. (v. t.) To feel envy at or towards; to be envious of; to have a feeling of uneasiness or mortification in regard to (any one), arising from the sight of another's excellence or good fortune and a longing to possess it.

7. (v. t.) To feel envy on account of; to have a feeling of grief or repining, with a longing to possess (some excellence or good fortune of another, or an equal good fortune, etc.); to look with grudging upon; to begrudge.

8. (v. t.) To long after; to desire strongly; to covet.

9. (v. t.) To do harm to; to injure; to disparage.

10. (v. t.) To hate.

11. (v. t.) To emulate.

12. (v. i.) To be filled with envious feelings; to regard anything with grudging and longing eyes; -- used especially with at.

13. (v. i.) To show malice or ill will; to rail.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ENVY

en'-vi (qin'ah; zelos, phthonos):

"Envy," from Latin in, "against," and video, "to look," "to look with ill-will," etc., toward another, is an evil strongly condemned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is to be distinguished from jealousy. "We are jealous of our own; we are envious of another man's possessions. Jealousy fears to lose what it has; envy is pained at seeing another have" (Crabb's English Synonyms). In the Old Testament it is the translation of qin'ah from kana', "to redden," "to glow" (Job 5:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy," margin "indignation"; in Isaiah 26:11 the Revised Version (British and American) renders "see thy zeal for the people"; Proverbs 27:4, etc.); the verb occurs in Genesis 26:14, etc.; Numbers 11:29 the King James Version; Psalm 106:16 Proverbs 3:31, etc.; in the New Testament it is the translation of phthonos, "envy" (Matthew 27:18 Romans 1:29 Galatians 5:21, "envyings," etc.); of zelos, "zeal", "jealousy," "envy" (Acts 13:45), translated "envying," the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy" (Romans 13:13 1 Corinthians 3:3 2 Corinthians 12:20 James 3:14, 16); the verb phthoneo occurs in Galatians 5:26; zeloo in Acts 7:9; Acts 17:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "moved with jealousy"; 1 Corinthians 13:4, "charity (the Revised Version (British and American) "love") envieth not."

The power of envy is stated in Proverbs 27:4: "Who is able to stand before envy?" (the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy"); its evil effects are depicted in Job 5:2 (the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy"), in Proverbs 14:30 (the Revised Version, margin "jealousy"); it led to the crucifixion of Christ (Matthew 27:18 Mark 15:10); it is one of "the works of the flesh" (Galatians 5:21; compare Romans 1:29 1 Timothy 6:4); Christian believers are earnestly warned against it (Romans 13:13 the King James Version; 1 Corinthians 3:3 the King James Version; Galatians 5:26 1 Peter 2:1). In James 4:5 "envy" is used in a good sense, akin to the jealousy ascribed to God. Where the King James Version has "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy," the Revised Version (British and American) reads "Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?"; the American Revised Version, margin "The spirit which he made to dwell in us he yearneth for even unto jealous envy"; compare Jeremiah 3:14 Hosea 2:19; or the English Revised Version, margin "That spirit which he made to dwell in us yearneth (for us) even unto jealous envy." This last seems to give the sense; compare "Ye adulteresses" (Hosea 2:4), the American Revised Version, margin "That is, who break your marriage vow to God."

W. L. Walker

Greek

5355. phthonos -- envy
... envy. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: phthonos Phonetic Spelling:
(fthon'-os) Short Definition: envy, a grudge Definition: envy, a grudge, spite ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5355.htm - 7k

5354. phthoneo -- to envy
... phthoneo. 5355 . to envy. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phthoneo Phonetic
Spelling: (fthon-eh'-o) Short Definition: I envy Definition: I envy. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5354.htm - 6k

1282. diaprio -- to saw asunder, cut to the heart
... diaprio Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ap-ree'-o) Short Definition: I cut to the quick
Definition: (lit: I saw through), I cut to the quick (with indignation and envy ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1282.htm - 7k

3788. ophthalmos -- the eye
... Word Origin from a prim. root op- and an uncertain root Definition the eye NASB
Word Usage envy* (1), eye (29), eyes (68), gaze (1), sight (1). eye, sight. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3788.htm - 7k

4190. poneros -- toilsome, bad
... Word Origin from poneo (to toil) Definition toilsome, bad NASB Word Usage bad (5),
crimes (1), envious (1), envy* (1), evil (50), evil one (5), evil things (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4190.htm - 8k

2206. zeloo -- to be jealous
... From zelos; to have warmth of feeling for or against -- affect, covet (earnestly),
(have) desire, (move with) envy, be jealous over, (be) zealous(-ly affect). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2206.htm - 7k

2205. zelos -- to have warmth of feeling for or against, to be ...
... in a favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband
(figuratively, of God), or an enemy, malice) -- emulation, envy(-ing), fervent ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2205.htm - 7k

Topical Bible Verses

1 Corinthians 13:4
Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity braggs not itself, is not puffed up,
Topicalbible.org

James 3:16
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Topicalbible.org

Galatians 5:26
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Topicalbible.org

1 Peter 2:1
Why laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
Topicalbible.org

Romans 13:13
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Topicalbible.org

Romans 1:29
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Topicalbible.org

Acts 17:5
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took to them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
Topicalbible.org

Proverbs 24:1
Be not you envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Topicalbible.org

James 3:14
But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Topicalbible.org

1 Corinthians 3:3
For you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men?
Topicalbible.org

Strong's Hebrew

7068. qinah -- ardor, zeal, jealousy
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition ardor, zeal, jealousy NASB Word Usage
anger (1), envy (1), jealousy (24), passion (1), rivalry (1), zeal (14). ...
/hebrew/7068.htm - 6k

7520. ratsad -- to watch (stealthily)
... 7519, 7520. ratsad. 7521 . to watch (stealthily). Transliteration: ratsad Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-tsad') Short Definition: envy. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7520.htm - 5k

7065. qanah -- to be jealous or zealous
... Definition to be jealous or zealous NASB Word Usage became envious (1), became jealous
(1), been very zealous (2), envied (1), envious (4), envy (2), jealous ...
/hebrew/7065.htm - 6k

Library

Whether Envy is a Sin?
... OF ENVY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether envy is a sin? Objection 1: It would seem
that envy is not a sin. For Jerome says to Laeta about ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether envy is a sin.htm

Whether Envy is a Mortal Sin?
... OF ENVY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether envy is a mortal sin? Objection 1: It would
seem that envy is not a mortal sin. For since envy is ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether envy is a mortal.htm

Whether Envy is a Capital vice?
... OF ENVY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether envy is a capital vice? Objection 1: It
would seem that envy is not a capital vice. For the capital ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether envy is a capital.htm

Whether Envy is a Kind of Sorrow?
... OF ENVY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether envy is a kind of sorrow? Objection 1:
It would seem that envy is not a kind of sorrow. For the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether envy is a kind.htm

Whether Hatred Arises from Envy?
... OF HATRED (SIX ARTICLES) Whether hatred arises from envy? Objection 1: It seems
that hatred does not arise from envy. For envy is sorrow for another's good. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether hatred arises from envy.htm

Of Envy (Four Articles)
... OF ENVY (FOUR ARTICLES). We must now consider envy, and under this head there are
four points of inquiry: (1) What is envy? (2) Whether it is a sin? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/of envy four articles .htm

Whether Only the Sin of Pride and Envy Can Exist in an Angel?
... THE MALICE OF THE ANGELS WITH REGARD TO SIN (NINE ARTICLES) Whether only
the sin of pride and envy can exist in an angel? Objection ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether only the sin of.htm

January the Twenty-Sixth the Fire of Envy
... JANUARY The Twenty-sixth THE FIRE OF ENVY. ... The deadly draught is the minister of
deceptive chaos. And envy is like that potion when it is drunk by the spirit. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/january the twenty-sixth the fire.htm

Treatise x. On Jealousy and Envy.
... Treatise X. On Jealousy and Envy. Argument. [3642] "After Pointing Out
that Jealousy or Envy is a Sin All the More Heinous in ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise x on jealousy and.htm

Psalm 37 Part 1 the Cure of Envy, Fretfulness, and Unbelief; Or ...
... THE PSALMS OF DAVID PSALM 37 PART 1 The cure of envy, fretfulness, and unbelief;
or, The rewards of the righteous and the wicked; or, The world's hatred and ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 37 part 1 the.htm

Thesaurus

Envy (56 Occurrences)
... with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages; malicious grudging;
-- usually followed by of; as, they did this in envy of Caesar. ...ENVY. ...
/e/envy.htm - 28k

Envious (16 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Feeling or exhibiting envy; actuated or directed by, or proceeding from,
envy; -- said of a person, disposition, feeling, act, etc.; jealously pained ...
/e/envious.htm - 11k

Fighting (201 Occurrences)
... Romans 1:29 Being full of all wrongdoing, evil, desire for the goods of others,
hate, envy, putting to death, fighting, deceit, cruel ways, evil talk, and ...
/f/fighting.htm - 37k

Rivalry (8 Occurrences)
... another. (WEY). Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy
and strife, and some also out of good will. (See RSV NIV). ...
/r/rivalry.htm - 8k

Jealous (43 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind. Love knows neither envy nor jealousy.
Love is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited. ...
/j/jealous.htm - 20k

Pride (277 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love
has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride; (BBE). ...
/p/pride.htm - 37k

Jealousy (54 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind. Love knows neither envy nor jealousy.
Love is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited. (WEY). ...
/j/jealousy.htm - 29k

Eye (145 Occurrences)
... 34); Mark 7:22). In the Bible the expression is synonymous with envy, jealousy
and some forms of covetousness. In comparing Romans ...
/e/eye.htm - 54k

Evil (1503 Occurrences)
... 34); Mark 7:22). In the Bible the expression is synonymous with envy, jealousy
and some forms of covetousness. In comparing Romans ...
/e/evil.htm - 47k

Vanish (21 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 11:13 And the envy of Ephraim will be gone, and those who make trouble for
Judah will come to an end: Ephraim will have no more envy of Judah, and there ...
/v/vanish.htm - 12k

Bible Concordance

Envy (56 Occurrences)

Matthew 27:18 For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 7:22 covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, reviling, pride, reckless folly:
(WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 15:10 For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up.
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 5:17 But the high priest and those who were with him (the Sadducees) were full of envy,
(BBE)

Acts 7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
(KJV BBE DBY WBS)

Acts 8:23 For I see that you are prisoned in bitter envy and the chains of sin.
(BBE)

Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
(KJV BBE DBY WBS)

Acts 17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
(KJV BBE WBS YLT)

Romans 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 10:19 But I say, Had Israel no knowledge? First Moses says, You will be moved to envy by that which is not a nation, and by a foolish people I will make you angry.
(BBE)

Romans 11:11 So I say, Were their steps made hard in order that they might have a fall? In no way: but by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, so that they might be moved to envy.
(BBE)

Romans 11:14 If in any way those who are of my flesh may be moved to envy, so that some of them may get salvation by me.
(BBE NIV)

Romans 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
(Root in KJV BBE WBS)

1 Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
(Root in KJV BBE WBS YLT)

1 Corinthians 10:22 Or may we be the cause of envy to the Lord? are we stronger than he?
(BBE)

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud,
(WEB WEY BBE YLT NIV)

Galatians 5:21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
(Root in WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Galatians 5:26 Let's not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. Paul's Letter to the Philippians
(Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Philippians 2:3 Doing nothing through envy or through pride, but with low thoughts of self let everyone take others to be better than himself;
(BBE)

Colossians 3:5 Then put to death your bodies which are of the earth; wrong use of the flesh, unclean things, passion, evil desires and envy, which is the worship of strange gods;
(BBE)

1 Timothy 6:4 he is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Titus 3:3 For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
(Root in KJV WEY BBE WBS NIV)

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
(Root in KJV WEY BBE WBS NIV)

James 4:2 You are burning with desire, and have not your desire, so you put men to death; you are full of envy, and you are not able to get your desire, so you are fighting and making war; you have not your desire, because you do not make request for it.
(BBE DBY)

James 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
(KJV ASV WBS YLT)

1 Peter 2:1 Rid yourselves therefore of all ill-will and all deceitfulness, of insincerity and envy, and of all evil speaking.
(WEY DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Peter 2:14 Having eyes full of evil desire, never having enough of sin; turning feeble souls out of the true way; they are children of cursing, whose hearts are well used to bitter envy;
(BBE)

Genesis 26:14 For he had great wealth of flocks and herds and great numbers of servants; so that the Philistines were full of envy.
(BBE YLT)

Genesis 30:1 Now Rachel, because she had no children, was full of envy of her sister; and she said to Jacob, If you do not give me children I will not go on living.
(BBE)

Genesis 37:11 And his brothers were full of envy; but his father kept his words in mind.
(BBE)

Numbers 11:29 And Moses said to him, Are you moved by envy on my account? If only all the Lord's people were prophets, and the Lord might put his spirit on them!
(BBE)

1 Samuel 2:29 Why then are you looking with envy on my offerings of meat and of meal which were ordered by my word, honouring your sons before me, and making yourselves fat with all the best of the offerings of Israel, my people?
(BBE)

1 Samuel 18:9 And from that day Saul was looking with envy on David.
(BBE)

Job 5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
(KJV JPS DBY WBS YLT NIV)

Psalms 37:1 <Of David.> Do not be angry because of the wrongdoers, or have envy of the workers of evil.
(BBE)

Psalms 68:16 Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
(WEB BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 73:3 Because of my envy of the men of pride, when I saw the well-being of the wrongdoers.
(BBE)

Psalms 106:16 They were full of envy against Moses among the tents, and against Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.
(BBE)

Psalms 112:10 The sinner will see it with grief; he will be wasted away with envy; the desire of the evil-doers will come to nothing.
(BBE)

Proverbs 3:31 Don't envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 14:30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots the bones.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NIV)

Proverbs 23:17 Don't let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear Yahweh all the day long.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 24:1 Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
(BBE NIV)

Proverbs 24:19 Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
(BBE)

Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
(KJV BBE WBS)

Ecclesiastes 4:4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
(WEB BBE YLT RSV NIV)

Ecclesiastes 9:6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Isaiah 11:13 The envy also of Ephraim will depart, and those who persecute Judah will be cut off. Ephraim won't envy Judah, and Judah won't persecute Ephraim.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT)

Isaiah 26:11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.
(KJV WBS)

Ezekiel 8:3 And he put out the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; and the wind, lifting me up between the earth and the heaven, took me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the way into the inner door facing to the north; where was the seat of the image of envy.
(BBE)

Ezekiel 8:5 Then he said to me, Son of man, now let your eyes be lifted up in the direction of the north; and on looking in the direction of the north, to the north of the doorway of the altar, I saw this image of envy by the way in.
(BBE)

Ezekiel 31:9 I made it beautiful with its mass of branches: so that all the trees in the garden of God were full of envy of it.
(BBE YLT NIV)

Ezekiel 35:11 therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will do according to your anger, and according to your envy which you have shown out of your hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I shall judge you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 36:5 For this cause the Lord has said: Truly, in the heat of my bitter feeling I have said things against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who have taken my land as a heritage for themselves with the joy of all their heart, and with bitter envy of soul have made attacks on it:
(BBE)

Subtopics

Envy

Envy: A Proof of Carnal-Mindedness

Envy: A Work of the Flesh

Envy: Excited by Good Deeds of Others

Envy: Forbidden

Envy: General Scriptures Concerning