James 5:16

James 5:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Context of James 5:16

14Is any sick among you? let him call to [him] the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of [the] Lord; 15and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be one who has committed sins, it shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your offences to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. [The] fervent supplication of the righteous [man] has much power. 17Elias was a man of like passions to us, and he prayed with prayer that it should not rain; and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months; 18and again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to spring forth.

James 5:16 word by word

ἐξομολογεῖσθε οὖν ἀλλήλοις τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων, ὅπως ἰαθῆτε· πολὺ ἰσχύει δέησις δικαίου ἐνεργουμένη.Read the interlinear

• Confessἐξομολογέομαιexomologeō · to agreeG1843
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• oneἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• prayεὔχομαιeuchomai · to pray/wish forG2172
• healedἰάομαιiaomai · to healG2390
• supplicationδέησιςdeēsis · petitionG1162
• righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• muchπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183

Cross-references for James 5:16

• Genesis 41:9Then spoke the chief of the cup-bearers to Pharaoh, saying, I remember mine offences this day.
• 2 Samuel 19:19And he said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.
• Matthew 3:6and were baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
• Matthew 18:15But if thy brother sin against thee, go, reprove him between thee and him alone. If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
• Luke 7:3and having heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, begging him that he might come and save his bondman.
• Acts 19:18And many of those that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds.
• Colossians 1:9For this reason we also, from the day we heard [of your faith and love], do not cease praying and asking for you, to the end that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17pray unceasingly;
• Hebrews 13:18Pray for us: for we persuade ourselves that we have a good conscience, in all things desirous to walk rightly.
• Genesis 20:17And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife and his handmaids, and they bore [children].
• 2 Chronicles 30:20And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
• Luke 9:6And going forth they passed through the villages, announcing the glad tidings and healing everywhere.
• Acts 10:38Jesus who [was] of Nazareth: how God anointed him with [the] Holy Spirit and with power; who went through [all quarters] doing good, and healing all that were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
• Genesis 18:23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?
• Genesis 19:29And it came to pass when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.
• Genesis 20:7And now, restore the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and will pray for thee, that thou mayest live. And if thou do not restore [her], know that thou shalt certainly die, thou and all that is thine.

Commentaries on James 5:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Confess your faults one to another - This is a good general direction to Christians who endeavor to maintain among themselves the communion of saints. This social confession tends much to humble the soul, and to make it watchful. We naturally wish that our friends in general, and our religious friends in particular, should think well of us; and when we confess to them offenses which, without this confession, they could never have known, we feel humbled…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Confess your faults one to another - This seems primarily to refer to those who were sick, since it is added, “that ye may be healed.” The fair interpretation is, that it might be supposed that such confession would contribute to a restoration to health. The case supposed all along here (see James 5:15) is, that the sickness referred to had been brought upon the patient for his sins, apparently as a punishment for some particular transgressions. Compare…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God's name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, but is showing enmity to God without occasion and without advantage It shows a man to be an enemy to God, however he pretends to call himself by his name, or sometimes joins in acts of worship. But the Lord will not hold him…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. The oldest authorities read, "Confess, THEREFORE," &c. Not only in the particular case of sickness, but universally confess. faults--your falls and offenses, in relation to one another. The word is not the same as sins. Mt 5:23, 24; Lu 17:4, illustrate the precept here. one to another--not to the priest, as Rome insists. The Church of England recommends in certain cases. Rome compels confession in all cases. Confession is desirable in the case of (1)…Read the comment

Topics related to James 5:16

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Commandments
• Communion
• Fellowship
• Intercession
• Prayer
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Confession
• Convert
• Effectual prayer
• Grudge
• Howl
• Nourish
• Pitiful
• Prayer
• Tender
• Wanton

Commentaries on James 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings