James 5:16 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

¹⁶ So, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another to be healed [from sin sickness]. The special request of a righteous person is empowered with [great] effectiveness.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

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.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁶ Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Common English Bible

¹⁶ For this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be saved. For the unremitting prayer of a just person prevails over many things.

James 5:16 Cross References

Matthew 21:22

And everything you ask for in prayer you will receive, if you have [enough] faith.”

John 9:31

We know that God does not listen to sinners [i.e., when they pray]; but God does listen to the person who reveres Him and does what He wants.

1 Peter 2:24

Jesus took upon Himself our sins [when] His body was placed upon the cross so that we, [through] dying to [i.e., giving up] the sinful life, would live for righteousness. You were healed [from your sins] by His being brutally treated.

1 John 3:22

and we can be assured of receiving from God whatever we ask Him for, because we are obeying His commands [i.e., especially the one about loving others] and are practicing what is pleasing to Him.

Acts 19:18

Many of the believers also came confessing their sins and describing what they had [previously] done.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Never stop praying.

Hebrews 12:13

make straight paths for your feet,” so that crippled limbs will not remain [permanently] disabled, but rather will be healed. [Note: The idea here is “remove all barriers to spiritual growth so you can live a faithful life”].

1 Thessalonians 5:25

Brothers, pray for us.

Matthew 3:6

and people were immersed by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

Hebrews 13:18

Pray for us [continually]. We are convinced that we [i.e., the writer of Hebrews] have a clear conscience [i.e., regarding our relationship to you] and we want to behave properly in every way.

Hebrews 11:7

By [having] faith, when Noah was warned [by God] about conditions that had not yet been seen [i.e., regarding events of the coming Flood], he acted out of reverent concern [for God] by constructing a ship to save [i.e., rescue] his household [from the Flood waters]. By this [i.e., his faith which led to action], Noah condemned the world and inherited righteousness because of his faith.

Romans 5:19

Now the Law of Moses was introduced [into the world] in order to cause sin to increase [i.e., it defined many things to be wrong that were previously not regarded as sin]. But with the increase of sin, God’s unearned favor increased all the more.

Romans 3:10

as it is written [Psa. 14:1ff; 53:1ff], “No one [always] does what is right; not even one person.

Hebrews 11:4

By [having] faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. [And] because of his faith he was commended by God for being righteous, when God expressed approval of his offerings. By means of his faith, Abel still speaks [to us], even though he is dead.

Acts 10:38

This message was about Jesus from Nazareth and how God specially chose Him [and signified it] by giving Him the Holy Spirit and power. He traveled all over doing good [for people] and healing everyone who was [being] oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

And may God Himself, who gives peace, dedicate you completely, and may your spirit, soul and body [i.e., your entire person] be kept without just blame at [i.e., until] the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:9

So, this is why, since the day we heard about these things, we do not stop praying for you and requesting that you people be filled [by God] with the knowledge of what He wants [for your lives], and with spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Luke 9:6

So, they left and went throughout the villages preaching the good news and healing people everywhere.

Mark 1:5

And people from throughout all the regions of Judea and all of Jerusalem went out to John [in the desert]. And he immersed them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

Acts 8:24

And Simon answered, “[Please] pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said about me will [really] happen.”