Meaning, commentary and cross references
James 5:16
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
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.
NIV · New International Version
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
WEB · World English Bible
Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
What does James 5:16 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another,.... Which must be understood of sins committed against one another; which should be acknowledged, and repentance for them declared, in order to mutual forgiveness and reconciliation; and this is necessary at all times, and especially on beds of affliction, and when death and eternity seem near approaching: wherefore this makes nothing for auricular confession, used by the Papists; which is of all sins, whereas this is only of such by which men offend one another; that is made to priests, but this is made by the saints to one another, by the offending party to him that is offended, for reconciliation, whereby a good end is answered; whereas there is none…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on James 5:12–20
The great advantage and efficacy of prayer are declared and proved: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, whether he pray for himself or for others: witness the example of Elias, Jam 5:17, Jam 5:18. He who prays must be a righteous man; not righteous in an absolute sense (for this Elias was not, who is here made a pattern to us), but righteous in a gospel sense; not loving nor approving of any iniquity. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer, Psa 66:18. Further, the prayer itself must be a fervent, in-wrought, well-wrought prayer.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on James 5:16–18
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 16 Confitemini invicem peccata vestra, et orate invicem alii pro aliis, ut salvemini: multum valet precatio justi efficax. 17 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. 17 Elias homo erat passionibus similiter obnoxius ut nos; et precatione precatus est, ne plueret; et non pluit super terram annos tres et sex menses. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 18 Et rursum oravit, et coelum dedit pluviam, et terra protulit fructum suum. 16 Confess your…
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: James 5:13–19 (WEB)
13Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. 14Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,
Cross references
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Matthew 21:22
All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
- Psalms 34:15
- John 9:31
We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, he listens to him.
- Psalms 145:18–19
- Jeremiah 33:3
‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and difficult things, which you don’t know.’
- 1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.