James 4:3

Even prayers go unanswered when offered with selfish motives. God will not subsidize cravings aimed only at our pleasures.

Cross-references · 23

• 1 Jn 5:14This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
• 1 Jn 3:22and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
• Jas 1:6–7But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
• Jas 4:1Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
• Prov 15:8The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
• Mic 3:4Then they will cry to Yahweh, but he will not answer them. Yes, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they made their deeds evil.”
• Ps 66:18–19If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened.
• Job 35:12There they cry, but no one gives answer, because of the pride of evil men.
• Zech 7:13It has come to pass that, as he called, and they refused to listen, so they will call, and I will not listen,” said Yahweh of Armies;
• Luke 16:1–2He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.
• Job 27:8–10For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
• Prov 21:13Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
• Matt 20:22But Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to him, “We are able.”
• Mark 10:38But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
• Luke 15:13Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
• Prov 21:27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!
• Prov 1:28Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
• Jer 11:14“Therefore don’t pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.
• Isa 1:15–16When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
• Ps 18:41They cried, but there was no one to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them.
• Jer 14:12When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
• Jer 11:11Therefore Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
• Luke 15:30But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.