Devine Scripture

James 5:15

What does James 5:15 mean?

A plain-English look at James 5:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What James 5:15 means

James promises that the prayer of faith will save the sick person, the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. The power lies not in ritual but in God, who answers believing prayer. The linkage of healing and forgiveness reflects that, while not all sickness is due to sin, God deals with the whole person. “Raise him up” hints at both restoration to health and the Lord’s sovereign lifting of the afflicted. The verse encourages confident, humble asking, resting in the Lord’s goodness. It holds together body and soul under Christ’s care, assuring that His mercy meets us through the church’s faithful prayers.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And by the prayer of faith the man who is ill will be made well, and he will be lifted up by the Lord, and for any sin which he has done he will have forgiveness.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and the prayer of the faith shall save the distressed one, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if sins he may have committed, they shall be forgiven to him.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man. And the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and 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.

Context

Flowing from verse 14’s instructions, verse 15 states God’s promised response to faith-filled prayer: healing and forgiveness. This integrated view of care ushers in verse 16’s call for mutual confession and intercession as a regular practice, not only in crisis. The movement underscores that the church’s strength lies in humble dependence on God and honest community, setting up Elijah’s example in verses 17–18 as a concrete case of effective prayer.

v.14Is any 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:

v.15This passage

v.16Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Isaiah 33:24

    And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

  • James 5:16

    Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

  • Matthew 17:20

    And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

  • Mark 2:5

    And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven.

  • Mark 11:22

    And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

  • Matthew 21:21

    And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done.

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