Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Parallel translations
- WEB Is 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,
- KJV Is 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:
- NKJV Is anyone among you sick? 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.
- NASB Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
- NLT Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The sick should call the church's elders to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the Lord's name. The afflicted are to seek the prayerful care of the church.
Overview
James instructs the sick to summon the elders for prayer and anointing with oil in the Lord's name. Christians have understood the oil variously as a medicinal aid, a symbol of consecration, or a sign accompanying prayer, but all agree the emphasis falls on prayer offered in the Lord's authority. The verse highlights the ministry of the church's leaders and the believer's dependence on God in time of weakness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mark 6:13They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.
- Acts 28:8The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.
- Mark 16:18they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
- Acts 9:40Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
- 2 Kgs 5:11But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.
- 2 Kgs 4:33So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
- Acts 15:4On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
- Titus 1:5The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
- Acts 14:23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
- 1 Kgs 17:21Then he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return to him!”
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Christ at the center
The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.
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Original language
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