James 5:16 KJV

The Pulpit Commentary - James 5:16-18

Mutual confession and prayer. In the latter part of James 5:15 the apostle has hinted at the connection between sin and suffering. He proceeds now to urge upon the sick and the erring, on proper occasions to acknowledge to their brethren the sins of which they may have been guilty, if they would be "healed" in body and soul, as a result of the intercessions offered on their behalf. I. THE DUTY . ( James 5:16 ) It is twofold. 1. Mutual confession. The subject here is not... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 5:16

Confess your faults one to another - This seems primarily to refer to those who were sick, since it is added, “that ye may be healed.” The fair interpretation is, that it might be supposed that such confession would contribute to a restoration to health. The case supposed all along here (see James 5:15) is, that the sickness referred to had been brought upon the patient for his sins, apparently as a punishment for some particular transgressions. Compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 11:30. In such... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 5:16

James 5:16. Confess your faults Whether you are sick or in health; one to another He does not say to the elders; this may or may not be done, for it is nowhere commanded. We may confess them to any pious person who can pray in faith: he will then know how to pray for us, and will be more excited so to do. And pray one for another, that ye may be healed Both in soul and body. Let it be observed, 1st, This passage of Scripture, only enjoining true believers to confess their sins to one... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - James 5:7-20

5:7-20 THE NEED FOR PATIENCE AND PRAYERMany Christians were poor and oppressed, some of them no doubt farmers who suffered because of the rich landowners. James encourages them to wait patiently for the Lord’s return (which will bring them victory in the end), just as the farmer waits patiently for the rain that will bring his crops to final harvest (7-8). God is using these trials to teach them patience, so they must not fight against his purposes by grumbling. Some Old Testament examples show... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 5:16

faults . App-128 . but the texts read "sins", as above. pray . App-134 . for . App-104 . healed . Greek. iaomai. See Luke 6:17 . This makes it clear that the circumstances in view are those of 1 Corinthians 11:30 . The offenders were those who had wronged their brethren, or had shown an unbrotherly spirit, and so had brought chastisement upon themselves. effectual fervent = inwrought, or energized. Greek. energeo. prayer . App-134 . righteous = just, James 5:6 . App-191 . Read, "a... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 5:16

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.One to another ... Mutuality is certainly implied by this. There is no class of men set up in God's church to hear confessions. No so-called "priest" ever had the right to hear the confessions of the penitent, unless he himself, in turn, would likewise confess his own sins to the confessor. As Roberts aptly wrote:The Roman Catholic... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - James 5:16

James 5:16. Confess your faults, &c.— Confess therefore your faults, &c. See Mills, and Wetstein. They were to make a confession of those particular sins which had drawn some remarkable diseases upon them, as a token of the divine displeasure for their unchristian conduct. Their sending for the elders of the church plainly supposes that they had faith to be healed; and the confession of their sins, which they are here ordered to make, as plainly supposes that they were penitent: for,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - James 5:16

16. The oldest authorities read, "Confess, THEREFORE," c. Not only in the particular case of sickness, but universally confess. faults—your falls and offenses, in relation to one another. The word is not the same as sins. Matthew 5:23 Matthew 5:24; Luke 17:4, illustrate the precept here. one to another—not to the priest, as Rome insists. The Church of England recommends in certain cases. Rome compels confession in all cases. Confession is desirable in the case of (1) wrong done to a neighbor;... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 5:1-18

VI. MONEY AND PATIENT ENDURANCE 5:1-18The final practical problem James addressed involves money. He wrote these instructions to warn his readers of a danger, to inform them of the ramifications of the problem, and to exhort them to deal with the situation appropriately. This is his third reference to the rich and the poor (cf. James 1:9-11; James 2:1-12). We might also consider James 4:13-17, as well as James 5:1-6, as dealing with the rich. [Note: For some helpful insights on the way... read more