The Hatefulness of Envy
N. Byfield. 1 Peter 2:1-3 Why laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,… I. Consider THE SUBJECT PERSONS in which it usually is. It is found most in natural men (Titus 3:3), yea, in silly men (Job 5:2). This was the sin of Cain (Genesis 4). yea, of the devil himself. II. Consider THE CAUSE OF IT. It is for the most part the daughter of pride (Galatians 5:26), sometimes of covetousness (Proverbs 28:22), and often of some egregious transgression, such as in Romans 1:29, but ever it is the filthy fruit of the flesh (Galatians 5:25). III. Consider THE VILE EFFECTS of it, which are many. 1. It hath done many mischiefs for which it is infamous. It sold Joseph into Egypt (Genesis 37), and killed the Son of God (Matthew 27:8); 2. It deforms our natures, it makes a man suspicious, malicious, contentious, it makes us to provoke, backbite, and practise evil against our neighbours. 3. It begins even death and hell, while a man is alive (Job 5:2). It destroyeth the contentment of his life, and burns him with a kind of fire unquenchable. IV. It is A NOTABLE HINDRANCE TO THE PROFIT OF THE WORD, and so no doubt it is to prayer and all piety, as evidently it is a let of charity (Philippians 1:15). (N. Byfield.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, WEB: Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,