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:
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,
- BSB 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.
- 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 6:13And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
- Acts 28:8And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
- Mark 16:18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
- Acts 9:40But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
- 2 Kgs 5:11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
- 2 Kgs 4:33He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
- Acts 15:4And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
- Titus 1:5For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
- Acts 14:23And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
- 1 Kgs 17:21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.
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Original language
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