The Effective Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the elders of the church and they should pray over him, anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven[a]. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much. 17 Elijah was a human being[b] with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently[c] for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

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Footnotes

  1. James 5:15 Literally “it will be forgiven him”
  2. James 5:17 Literally “man,” but in a generic sense; the emphasis is not on Elijah’s masculine gender but his shared humanity
  3. James 5:17 Literally “he prayed with prayer”

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.(A) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.(B) 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders(C) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil(D) in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith(E) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins(F) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.(G) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.(H)

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are.(I) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.(J) 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.(K)

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