Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

James 5:16

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.

KJV

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

Greek NT

Confitemini ergo alterutrum peccata vestra, et orate pro invicem ut salvemini : multum enim valet deprecatio justi assidua.

Vulgate

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.

ASV

Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

δέησις
deesis
noun · 18×
δίκαιος
dikaios
adjective · 79×
εὔχομαι
euchomai
verb · 7×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
οὖν
oun
conjunction · 489×
πολύς
polus
adjective · 412×
ἀλλήλων
allelon
reciprocal_pronoun · 100×
ἁμαρτία
amartia
noun · 173×
ἐνεργέω
energeo
verb · 21×
ἐξομολογέω
exomologeo
verb · 10×
ἰάομαι
iaomai
verb · 25×
ἰσχύω
ischuo
verb · 28×
ὁ
o
article · 19778×
ὅπως
opos
adverb · 53×
ὑπέρ
uper
preposition · 148×

Textual variants

3 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

trivial
SBLGNT: οὖν | WH/Treg/NIV: οὖν
  • οὖν — SBLGNT
  • οὖν — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
source: sblgnt-apparatus
minor
SBLGNT: τὰς ἁμαρτίας | WH/Treg/NIV: τὰς ἁμαρτίας | RP: τὰ παραπτώματα
  • τὰς ἁμαρτίας — SBLGNT
  • τὰς ἁμαρτίας — Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • τὰ παραπτώματα — Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
minor
SBLGNT: εὔχεσθε | Treg/NIV/RP: εὔχεσθε | WH: προσεύχεσθε
  • εὔχεσθε — SBLGNT
  • εὔχεσθε — Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
  • προσεύχεσθε — Westcott-Hort
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Historic Christian voices

14 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§1499"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. and indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ."97
§2582Elijah is the "father" of the prophets, "the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob."30 Elijah's name, "The Lord is my God," foretells the people's cry in response to his prayer on Mount Carmel.31 St. James refers to Elijah in order to encourage us to pray: "The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."32
§2737"You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."26 If we ask with a divided heart, we are "adulterers";27 God cannot answer us, for he desires our well-being, our life. "Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the scripture says, 'He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us?'"28 That our God is "jealous" for us is t…
What is Confession? Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. What sins should we confess? Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as w…
Summa Theologica · 4 passages
Can a man merit anything from God? Without grace, can anyone merit eternal life? May anyone with grace merit eternal life condignly? Is it chiefly through the instrumentality of charity that grace is the principle of merit? May a man merit the first grace for himself? May he merit it for someone else? Can anyone merit restoration after sin? Can he merit for himself an increase …
Is hope a virtue? Is its object eternal happiness? May one man, by the virtue of hope, hope for another's happiness? May a man lawfully hope in man? Is hope a theological virtue? Its distinction from the other theological virtues Its relation to faith Its relation to charity Article 1. Whether hope is a virtue? Objection 1. It would seem that hope is not a virtue. For "no man m…
Is prayer an act of the appetitive or of the cognitive power? Is it fitting to pray to God? Is prayer an act of religion? Should we pray to God alone? Should we ask for something definite when we pray? Should we ask for temporal things when we pray? Should we pray for others? Should we pray for our enemies? The seven petitions of the Lord's Prayer Is prayer proper to the ration…
…and 1 more from this source.
The preaching of repentance is joined with the Gospel. For so the Lord said in the Gospel: "Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations." By repentance we understand the knowledge of one's sin, true sorrow for sin, and the earnest endeavor henceforth to serve God and follow his commandments. True repentance does not flow from what is to be s…
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.
Luther retains private confession and absolution as a precious gift, not to be abandoned. However, he rejects the requirement of enumerating all sins, which is impossible and turns confession into a torment rather than a comfort. Absolution is the voice of the Gospel declaring God's forgiveness; it is not a priestly judicial act that depends on complete enumeration.

Cross-references

  • 1John 3:22 — And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
  • 1John 3:22 — And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
  • 1John 5:14 — And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
  • 1Kgs 13:6 — And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king
  • 1Kgs 17:18 — And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
  • 1Pet 2:24 — Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
  • 1Pet 2:24 — Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
  • 1Pet 3:12 — For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
  • 1Sam 1:12 — And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
  • 1Sam 7:8 — And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.
  • 1Sam 7:9 — And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
  • 1Sam 12:17 — Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD,
  • 1Sam 12:18 — So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
  • 1Thess 5:17 — Pray without ceasing.
  • 1Thess 5:23 — And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • 1Thess 5:25 — Brethren, pray for us.
  • 1Tim 2:1 — I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
  • 2Chr 14:11 — And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name
  • 2Chr 30:20 — And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
  • 2Chr 32:20 — And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.
  • 2Cor 1:11 — Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
  • 2Kgs 4:33 — He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
  • 2Kgs 6:17 — And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of
  • 2Kgs 19:4 — It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard:
  • 2Kgs 19:15 — And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven an
  • 2Kgs 20:2 — Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
  • 2Sam 19:19 — And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto 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 shoul
  • Acts 4:24 — And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
  • Acts 8:24 — Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
  • Acts 10:38 — How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
  • Acts 12:5 — Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
  • Acts 12:5 — Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
  • Acts 19:18 — And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
  • Acts 27:24 — Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
  • Col 1:9 — For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
  • Dan 2:18 — That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
  • Dan 9:3 — And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
  • Dan 9:20 — And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
  • Deut 9:18 — And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the
  • Deut 9:19 — For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.