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James 5:12-20 KJV
James · chapter 5 · verses 12–20
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. 13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14Is 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: 15And 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. 16Confess 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. 17Elias 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. 18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.James 5:12-20 · King James Version
James 5:12-20 in context
10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14Is 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:
15And 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.
16Confess 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.
17Elias 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.
18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Commentary
Cross references
- Matthew 5:33-37
- Matthew 23:16-22
- Psalms 50:15
- Jonah 2:2
- Ephesians 5:19
- Acts 16:24-25
- Revelation 19:1-6
- Hebrews 5:7
- Revelation 5:9-14
- Hosea 6:1
- Mark 6:13
- Acts 28:8
Key words (Strong's)
- afflictedkakopatheōto suffer evils , to be afflictedG2553 →
- anointingaleiphōto anointG218 →
- committedpoieōto make, with the names of things made, to produce, construct, form, fashion, etc., to be…G4160 →
- earnestlyproseuchēprayer addressed to God, a place set apart or suited for the offering of prayer, a…G4335 →
- multitudeplēthosa multitude, a great number, of men or things, the whole number, the whole multitude, the…G4128 →
- brethrenadelphosa brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother…G80 →
- forgivenaphiēmito send away, to bid going away or depart, of a husband divorcing his wife, to send…G863 →
- availethischyōto be strong, to be strong in body, to be robust, to be in sound health, to have power…G2480 →
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This epistle now drawing to a close, the penman goes off very quickly from one thing to another: hence it is that matters so very different are insisted on in these few verses. I. The sin of swearing is cautioned against: But above all things, my brethren, swear not, etc., Jam 5:12.
— Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on verses 12-20