For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
where.
James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
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?
Galatians 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
there.
Genesis 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Acts 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
confusion.
1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
there will be disorder
Disorder is a state of chaos and confusion, which is contrary to the order and peace that God desires for His creation. In the biblical narrative, God is portrayed as a God of order, as seen in the creation account (Genesis 1). The presence of disorder is often a sign of rebellion against God's will, as seen in the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). In the New Testament, Paul emphasizes that God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). The early church was encouraged to maintain order and unity, reflecting the harmonious nature of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:3-6).
and every evil practice
The phrase "every evil practice" encompasses a wide range of sinful behaviors that stem from jealousy and selfish ambition. In biblical terms, evil practices are those actions that go against God's commandments and the teachings of Jesus. The Old Testament prophets frequently condemned the evil practices of Israel, calling them to repentance (Isaiah 1:16-17). In the New Testament, Paul lists the works of the flesh, which include enmity, strife, jealousy, and fits of anger (Galatians 5:19-21). These practices are seen as contrary to the fruit of the Spirit and the life of holiness that believers are called to pursue. The presence of such practices indicates a departure from the path of righteousness and a need for repentance and transformation through Christ.
• Jealousy is the inner resentment that someone else has what we want. Scripture consistently identifies it as destructive: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).
• James has already warned, “But if you harbor bitter jealousy… do not boast about it” (James 3:14). The heart that entertains jealousy cannot simultaneously walk in the “wisdom from above” (James 3:17).
• Paul addressed believers at Corinth, rebuking them for “jealousy and strife” that proved they were “still worldly” (1 Corinthians 3:3). In every case, jealousy corrodes fellowship and stifles spiritual growth.
• Selfish ambition is the drive to promote self at others’ expense. Philippians 2:3 commands, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.”
• When personal advancement becomes the goal, unity dissolves. James earlier traced this mindset to “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” wisdom (James 3:15).
• Selfish ambition masquerades as productivity, yet it ultimately opposes the servant-hearted model of Jesus, who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45).
• Disorder describes turmoil, confusion, and division. God is “not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
• Whenever jealousy and selfish ambition take root, expect:
– Broken relationships (Genesis 37:11; Joseph’s brothers)
– Church splits and factionalism (1 Corinthians 1:11–13)
– Loss of clear spiritual direction (Isaiah 57:20, “the wicked are like the sea that is tossed”).
• The absence of godly peace is a sure indicator something in the heart has gone wrong.
• Sin seldom stays compartmentalized. Galatians 5:19–21 lists “jealousy” and “selfish ambitions” alongside immorality, idolatry, and fits of rage; they travel together.
• Romans 1:29 pictures humanity “filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and malice… full of envy.” The progression is plain: unchecked inner attitudes spawn outward deeds.
• 2 Timothy 3:2–5 shows the endgame—when self-love replaces God-love, “every evil practice” follows, and people “have a form of godliness but deny its power.”
James 3:16 provides a spiritual diagnostic tool. Wherever envy and self-seeking show up—in a home, workplace, congregation, or individual heart—expect confusion and a harvest of sin. Root them out quickly by embracing the Christ-centered humility that seeks God’s glory and the good of others, and He will replace chaos with His peace.
(16) For where envying and strife is, there is confusion.--Where emulation, zeal, and rivalry exist, there also are sedition, anarchy, restless disturbance, and every villainous act. The whole state is evil, and utterly contrary to the rule of the Gospel--"For words and names let angry zealots fight:
Whose life is in the wrong can ne'er be right."
Verse 16 substantiates the assertion just made in ver. 15. Render, as in ver. 14, jealousy and faction. Ἀκαταστασία: confusion, of which God is not the author (1 Corinthians 14:33).