James 5:17

James 5:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
• New International Version (NIV)Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

Context of James 5:17

15Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. 19My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back,

James 5:17 word by word

Ἠλίας ἄνθρωπος ἦν ὁμοιοπαθὴς ἡμῖν καὶ προσευχῇ προσηύξατο τοῦ μὴ βρέξαι· καὶ οὐκ ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐνιαυτοὺς τρεῖς καὶ μῆνας ἕξ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• EliasἩλίαςHēlias · ElijahG2243
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• subject to like passionsὁμοιοπαθήςhomoiopathēs · likeG3663
• as we areἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he prayedπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• earnestlyπροσευχήproseuchē · prayerG4335
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that it mightβρέχωbrechō · to rain downG1026
• notμήmē · notG3361
• notοὐou · noG3756
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
• by the space of threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• yearsἐνιαυτόςeniautos · yearG1763
• sixἕξhex · sixG1803
• monthsμήνmēn · monthG3376

Cross-references for James 5:17

• 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
• Acts 10:26But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!”
• Acts 14:15“Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.
• Romans 11:2No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,
• Revelation 11:6They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
• Luke 4:25“Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land.

Commentaries on James 5:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Elias was a man subject to like passions - This was Elijah, and a consistency between the names of the same persons as expressed in the Old and the New Testaments should be kept up. The word ̔ signifies of the same constitution, a human being just as ourselves are. See the same phrase and its explanation in Acts 14:15, and the note there. There was some reason to apprehend that because Elijah was translated, that therefore he was more than human, and if…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Elias - The common way of writing the word “Elijah” in the New Testament, Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:3, etc. Was a man subject to like passions as we are - This does not mean that Elijah was passionate in the sense in which that word is now commonly used; that is, that he was excitable or irritable, or that he was the victim of the same corrupt passions and propensities to which other men are subject; but that he was like affected; that he…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. 17Elijah … prayed earnestly: See 1 Kings 17:1; 18:41–46. three and a half years (see 1 Kings 18:1; Luke 4:25) is an approximate time, representing half of seven, which symbolizes a period of judgment (compare Daniel 12:7; Revelation 11:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Elias ... like passions as we--therefore it cannot be said that he was so raised above us as to afford no example applicable to common mortals like ourselves. prayed earnestly--literally, "prayed with prayer": Hebraism for prayed intensely. Compare Lu 22:15, "With desire I have desired," that is, earnestly desired. Alford is wrong in saying, Elias' prayer that it might not rain "is not even hinted at in the Old Testament history." In 1Ki 17:1 it is…Read the comment

Topics related to James 5:17

• Blessing
• Elijah
• Intercession
• Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena
• Prayer
• Rain

In the dictionaries

• Convert
• Grudge
• Howl
• Nourish
• Pitiful
• Prayer
• Tender
• Wanton
• Elijah
• Fervent

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