James 5:14

James 5:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
• New International Version (NIV)Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

Context of James 5:14

12Here is another important thing to remember, my Christian friends. When you want to make a strong promise, never use extra words. Do not say, ‘I promise by heaven,’ or ‘I promise by the earth.’ Do not use any extra words like that. When you say ‘yes,’ that should be enough. When you say ‘no,’ that should also be enough. If you say more than that, God will say that you are guilty. 13Is anyone among you in trouble? Then they should pray to God about it. Or, is anyone feeling happy? They should praise God with songs. Is anyone ill? They should ask the leaders of the church to come and to pray for them. The leaders should put some olive oil on the sick person. They should pray for him with the authority of the Lord Jesus. 15If they pray in that way and they trust that God will answer them, the sick person will become well again. The Lord will cause him to become well. And God will forgive him if he has done any wrong things. 16So you should tell each other about any wrong things that you have done. Then you will be able to pray for each other, so that God makes you well again. When a good person prays to God, God does powerful things.

James 5:14 word by word

ἀσθενεῖ τις ἐν ὑμῖν; προσκαλεσάσθω τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ προσευξάσθωσαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀλείψαντες αὐτὸν ἐλαίῳ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Isἀσθενέωastheneō · be weak: illG770
• anyτιςtis · oneG5100
• sickἀσθενέωastheneō · be weak: illG770
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771
• let him callπροσκαλέωproskaleomai · to call to/summonG4341
• for the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
• of the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• let them prayπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• anointingἀλείφωaleiphō · to anointG218
• with oilἔλαιονelaion · olive oilG1637
• the nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for James 5:14

• Acts 14:23Paul and Barnabas chose leaders for each group of believers in these places. They fasted and they prayed to God for some time about this. They asked the Lord Jesus to help these leaders who trusted in him.
• Acts 15:4When Paul, Barnabas and the other men arrived in Jerusalem, they met with the believers there. The apostles, the other leaders and the whole group of believers were happy to see them. Paul and Barnabas told them about everything that God had helped them to do.
• 1 Kings 17:21Then Elijah lay with his body across the boy. He did that three times. He prayed to the Lord, ‘Lord, my God, please cause this boy's life to return to him!’
• 2 Kings 4:33Elisha went into the room by himself. He shut the door. Elisha prayed to the Lord.
• 2 Kings 5:11But Naaman was angry and he went away. He said, ‘I thought that the prophet would come out of his house to see me. Then he would stand here with me. He would pray in the name of the Lord his God. Then he would move his hand over the bad place in my skin. After that my skin would be clean again. That is what I thought he would do.
• Acts 9:40Peter sent all these women out of the room. He went down on his knees and he prayed to God. Then he turned his head towards the dead woman and he said, ‘Tabitha, stand up!’ She opened her eyes. When she saw Peter, she sat up.
• Acts 28:8Publius's father was lying in bed because he was ill. His body was hot and he was very sick. Paul went into his room to see him. Paul prayed for him and he put his hands on the man's head. As a result, the man became well again.
• Mark 6:13The disciples caused many bad spirits to come out of people. They also put olive oil on many sick people, and the sick people became well.
• Mark 16:18If they pick up a snake, it will not hurt them. If they drink poison, it will not hurt them. They will put their hands on ill people, and God will make those people well.’

Commentaries on James 5:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders - This was also a Jewish maxim. Rabbi Simeon, in Sepher Hachaiyim, said: "What should a man do who goes to visit the sick? Ans. He who studies to restore the health of the body, should first lay the foundation in the health of the soul. The wise men have said, No healing is equal to that which comes from the word of God and prayer. Rabbi Phineas, the son of Chamma, hath said, 'When sickness or disease…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Is any sick among you? - In the previous verse the reference was to affliction in general, and the duty there urged was one that was applicable to all forms of trial. The subject of sickness, however, is so important, since it so often occurs, that a specific direction was desirable. That direction is to call in the aid of others to lead our thoughts, and to aid us in our devotions, because one who is sick is less able to direct his own reflections and to…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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14The church elders took care of a local group of Christians. People chose them for their age and leadership skills (Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; 1 Peter 5:1–4; compare 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9). During the early development of the church (around AD 40s), “church” meant “congregation” or “assembly” (see also Matthew 18:17)(see James Book Introduction, “Date and Location of Writing”). anoint him with oil: The practice of anointing with oil was a symbol of…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. let him call for the elders--not some one of the elders, as Roman Catholics interpret it, to justify their usage in extreme unction. The prayers of the elders over the sick would be much the same as though the whole Church which they represent should pray [Bengel]. anointing him with oil--The usage which Christ committed to His apostles was afterwards continued with laying on of hands, as a token of the highest faculty of medicine in the Church, just…Read the comment

Topics related to James 5:14

• Afflicted
• Afflictions and Adversities
• Anointing
• Church
• Elder
• Intercession

In the dictionaries

• Anoint
• Convert
• Grudge
• Howl
• Nourish
• Oil
• 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