James 4:2

Ye lust

(επιθυμειτε). Present active indicative of επιθυμεω, old word (from επι, θυμος, yearning passion for), not necessarily evil as clearly not in Luke 22:15 of Christ, but usually so in the N.T., as here. Coveting what a man or nation does not have is the cause of war according to James.Ye kill and covet

(φονευετε κα ζηλουτε). Present active indicatives of φονευω (old verb from φονευς, murderer) and ζηλοω, to desire hotly to possess (1 Corinthians 12:31). It is possible (perhaps probable) that a full stop should come after φονευετε (ye kill) as the result of lusting and not having. Then we have the second situation: "Ye covet and cannot obtain (επιτυχειν, second aorist active infinitive of επιτυγχανω), and (as a result) ye fight and war." This punctuation makes better sense than any other and is in harmony with verse James 4:1. Thus also the anticlimax in φονευετε and ζηλουτε is avoided. Mayor makes the words a hendiadys, "ye murderously envy."Ye have not, because ye ask not

(ουκ εχετε δια το μη αιτεισθα υμας). James refers again to ουκ εχετε (ye do not have) in verse James 4:2. Such sinful lusting will not obtain. "Make the service of God your supreme end, and then your desires will be such as God can fulfil in answer to your prayer" (Ropes). Cf. Matthew 6:31-33. The reason here is expressed by δια and the accusative of the articular present middle infinitive of αιτεω, used here of prayer to God as in Matthew 7:7. Hυμας (you) is the accusative of general reference. Note the middle voice here as in αιτεισθε in James 4:3. Mayor argues that the middle here, in contrast with the active, carries more the spirit of prayer, but Moulton (Prol., p. 160) regards the distinction between αιτεω and αιτεομα often "an extinct subtlety."