50 Bible Verses About Jealousy: What God Says & How to Overcome It

Jealousy is a quiet thief. It creeps into the heart, distorts thoughts, and strains relationships. Many people struggle with comparing themselves to others, wishing they had what someone else has, or feeling insecure when others succeed. Thankfully, Scripture provides wisdom, correction, and comfort for anyone dealing with these emotions.

In this guide, we will look at 50 Bible verses about jealousy, what God says on the matter, the consequences of letting it grow, and encouragement to rise above it through His Word. If you’ve ever battled envy, insecurity, or comparison, this is for you.

What God Says About Jealousy

Before going into the list of bible verses about jealousy, it’s important to understand God’s view.

1. God condemns jealousy as a destructive attitude: From the beginning to the end of Scripture, envy is portrayed as something that leads to pain, division, and sin. God wants hearts that are content, grateful, and grounded in His truth, not hearts troubled by resentment toward others.
2. Jealousy reveals deeper spiritual issues: It points to dissatisfaction, insecurity, fear, or lack of trust in God’s plan. When someone becomes jealous, it often means they are forgetting that God has a unique purpose for every life.
3. God calls His people to celebrate others: Instead of comparing, He invites us to love, encourage, and uplift one another. Gratitude is one of the fastest ways to overcome jealousy.
4. God’s love corrects jealousy: The Holy Spirit helps believers let go of envy and grow in love, patience, humility, and self-control.

Consequences of Jealousy in the Bible

Jealousy is not harmless. Many biblical stories reveal how envy can ruin lives, break families, and destroy destiny.

1. Broken relationships: Joseph’s brothers were jealous and sold him into slavery. Their envy shattered trust in the family.
2. Loss of peace: King Saul’s jealousy over David’s success made him restless, bitter, and paranoid.
3. Sinful actions: Cain grew jealous of Abel’s offering and committed the first murder recorded in Scripture.
4. Separation from God’s blessing: Envy can cloud judgment and push people into decisions that cost them God’s favor and direction.
5. Internal turmoil: Jealousy breeds anger, resentment, insecurity, and sadness, keeping the heart in constant unrest.

These examples remind us that dealing with jealousy early prevents growing problems later.

50 Bible Verses About Jealousy

Here are 50 powerful Bible verses about jealousy to help you overcome comparisons, envy, and insecurity.

1. Proverbs 14:30 – A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
2. James 3:16 – For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
3. Galatians 5:26 – Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
4. 1 Corinthians 3:3 – For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh?
5. Galatians 5:21 – Envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
6. Proverbs 27:4 – Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
7. Exodus 20:17 – You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
8. Romans 13:13 – Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in quarreling and jealousy.
9. 1 Peter 2:1 – So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
10. Job 5:2 – Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.
11. Psalm 37:1 – Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers.
12. Proverbs 3:31 – Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways.
13. Proverbs 24:19 – Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked.
14. Psalm 73:3 – For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
15. Ecclesiastes 4:4 – Then I saw that all toil and skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor.
16. Song of Solomon 8:6 – Jealousy is fierce as the grave.
17. 2 Corinthians 12:20 – For I fear that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility…
18. Titus 3:3 – Living in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
19. Mark 7:22 – Coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy…
20. Acts 7:9 – And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt.
21. Acts 13:45 – But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy.
22. Acts 17:5 – But the Jews were jealous, and taking wicked men, they formed a mob.
23. 1 Samuel 18:8–9 – Saul was very angry… and Saul eyed David from that day on.
24. Genesis 30:1 – When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister.
25. Genesis 37:11 – And his brothers were jealous of him.
26. Numbers 5:14 – If the spirit of jealousy comes over him…
27. Numbers 5:30 – When the spirit of jealousy comes over a man.
28. Deuteronomy 4:24 – For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
29. Deuteronomy 5:9 – I the Lord your God am a jealous God.
30. Joshua 24:19 – He is a holy God; He is a jealous God.
31. Nahum 1:2 – The Lord is a jealous and avenging God.
32. Psalm 79:5 – Will your jealousy burn like fire?
33. Ezekiel 8:3 – Where was the seat of the image of jealousy.
34. Ezekiel 16:42 – My jealousy will depart from you.
35. Ezekiel 23:25 – I will direct my jealousy against you.
36. Zephaniah 3:8 – My decision is to gather nations… all my burning anger; the fire of my jealousy.
37. 1 Kings 14:22 – They provoked him to jealousy with their sins.
38. Psalm 106:16 – When they were jealous of Moses in the camp.
39. Proverbs 6:34 – For jealousy makes a man furious.
40. Romans 10:19 – I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation.
41. Romans 11:11 – Salvation has come to the Gentiles so as to make Israel jealous.
42. Romans 11:14 – In order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous.
43. 1 Corinthians 10:22 – Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?
44. Proverbs 28:22 – A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
45. Psalm 37:7 – Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way.
46. Proverbs 23:17 – Let not your heart envy sinners.
47. James 4:2 – You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain.
48. Matthew 27:18 – For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
49. Philippians 1:15 – Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry.
50. 1 Timothy 6:4 – He has an unhealthy craving for controversy… envy, dissension, slander.

How to Overcome Jealousy According to Scripture

Even after reading many bible verses about jealousy, you may wonder how to apply them daily. Here are helpful steps:

1. Practice gratitude: Thank God for what you have. Gratitude weakens comparison.
2. Pray for those you envy: It becomes nearly impossible to resent someone you regularly lift before God.
3. Focus on God’s plan for your life: Your journey is unique. Jealousy grows when you look sideways instead of upward.
4. Celebrate others: Clapping for someone else doesn’t take anything away from your own success.
5. Meditate on Scripture: Fill your heart with God’s truth until envy loses power.
6. Ask the Holy Spirit for help: He strengthens you to walk in love, patience, and contentment.

Conclusion

Jealousy is one of the most common emotional battles people face, but God does not leave us without guidance. These bible verses about jealousy remind us to keep our hearts pure, trust God’s timing, and rejoice in His blessings, both in our lives and in the lives of others.

May the Word help you grow in peace, gratitude, and confidence in God’s plan.

Read also: 30 Bible Verses About Revival