James 5:16

Geneva Bible (1560)

Acknowledge your faultes one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much, if it be feruent.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἐξομολογεῖσθε ἀλλήλοις τὰ παραπτώματα, καὶ εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων, ὅπως ἰαθῆτε. Πολὺ ἰσχύει δέησις δικαίου ἐνεργουμένη.

Transliteration

Exomologeisthe allēlois ta paraptōmata, and euchesthe hyper allēlōn, so that iathēte. Poly ischuei deēsis dikaiou energoumenē.

Grammar Details

• *Exomologeisthe*: present middle imperative, 2nd plural - confess
• *allēlois*: dative, masculine, plural - to one another
• *ta paraptōmata*: accusative, neuter, plural - the trespasses
• *euchesthe*: present middle imperative, 2nd plural - pray
• *hyper*: preposition + genitive - for/on behalf of
• *allēlōn*: genitive, masculine, plural - one another
• *iathēte*: aorist passive subjunctive, 2nd plural - you may be healed
• *Poly*: adverb - much/greatly
• *ischuei*: present active, 3rd singular - is effective/powerful
• *deēsis*: nominative, feminine, singular - prayer/supplication
• *dikaiou*: genitive, masculine, singular - of righteous person
• *energoumenē*: present middle participle, nominative, feminine, singular - working/operating

Word Meanings

• *Exomologeisthe*: confess/acknowledge openly
• *paraptōmata*: trespasses/sins/offenses
• *euchesthe*: pray (formal prayer)
• *iathēte*: you may be healed/cured/made whole (can refer to physical or spiritual healing)
• *ischuei*: is effective/powerful/avails much
• *deēsis*: prayer/supplication/petition
• *dikaiou*: of righteous/just person
• *energoumenē*: working/operating/being effective (middle voice suggesting fervent activity)

Referenced Verses

• John 9:31 : 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him heareth he.
• Prov 15:29 : 29 The Lord is farre off from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
• 1 John 3:22 : 22 And whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him, because we keepe his commaundements, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.
• Ps 34:15 : 15 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous, and his eares are open vnto their crie.
• Matt 21:22 : 22 And whatsoeuer ye shall aske in prayer, if ye beleeue, ye shall receiue it.
• Acts 19:18 : 18 And many that beleeued, came and confessed, and shewed their workes.
• Luke 11:11-13 : 11 If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a father, will he giue him a stone? Or if hee aske a fish, will he for a fish giue him a serpent? 12 Or if hee aske an egge, will hee giue him a scorpion? 13 If yee then which are euill, can giue good giftes vnto your children, howe much more shall your heauenly Father giue the holy Ghost to them, that desire him?
• 1 Pet 2:24 : 24 Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that we being dead to sinne, should liue in righteousnesse: by whose stripes ye were healed.
• Ps 10:17-18 : 17 Lorde, thou hast heard the desire of the poore: thou preparest their heart: thou bendest thine eare to them, 18 To iudge the fatherlesse and poore, that earthly man cause to feare no more.
• Jer 29:12-13 : 12 Then shall you crie vnto mee, and ye shal go and pray vnto me, and I will heare you, 13 And ye shall seeke mee and finde mee, because ye shall seeke mee with all your heart.
• Gen 20:17 : 17 Then Abraham prayed vnto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his women seruants: and they bare children.
• Num 11:2 : 2 Then the people cryed vnto Moses: and when Moses praied vnto the Lorde, the fire was quenched.
• Ps 145:18-19 : 18 The Lord is neere vnto all that call vpon him: yea, to all that call vpon him in trueth. 19 He wil fulfill the desire of them that feare him: he also wil heare their cry, and wil saue them.
• Prov 15:8 : 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him.
• Job 42:8 : 8 Therefore take vnto you nowe seuen bullockes, and seuen rammes, and go to my seruant Iob, and offer vp for your selues a burnt offring, and my seruant Iob shall pray for you: for I wil accept him, least I should put you to shame, because ye haue not spoken of me the thing, which is right, like my seruant Iob.
• Heb 12:13 : 13 And make straight steppes vnto your feete, lest that which is halting, be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.
• 1 Thess 5:17 : 17 Pray continually.
• Rom 5:19 : 19 For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by that obedience of that one shall many also be made righteous.
• Luke 18:1-8 : 1 And he spake also a parable vnto them, to this ende, that they ought alwayes to pray, and not to waxe faint, 2 Saying, There was a iudge in a certaine citie, which feared not God, neither reuereced man. 3 And there was a widowe in that citie, which came vnto him, saying, Doe mee iustice against mine aduersarie. 4 And hee would not of a long time: but afterward he said with himselfe, Though I feare not God, nor reuerence man, 5 Yet because this widowe troubleth mee, I will doe her right, lest at the last shee come and make me wearie. 6 And the Lord said, Heare what the vnrighteous iudge saith. 7 Now shall not God auenge his elect, which cry day and night vnto him, yea, though he suffer long for them? 8 I tell you he will auenge them quickly: but when the Sonne of man commeth, shall he finde faith on the earth?
• 2 Kgs 20:2-5 : 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O Lorde, remember nowe, howe I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfite heart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight: and Hezekiah wept sore. 4 And afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle of the court, the worde of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 Turne againe, and tell Hezekiah the captaine of my people, Thus saith the Lorde God of Dauid thy father, I haue heard thy prayer, and seene thy teares: behold, I haue healed thee, and ye third day thou shalt go vp to ye house of ye Lord,
• Prov 28:9 : 9 He that turneth away his eare fro hearing the Law, euen his prayer shalbe abominable.
• Matt 3:6 : 6 And they were baptized of him in Iordan, confessing their sinnes.
• Gen 18:23-32 : 23 Then Abraham drewe neere, & said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 If there be fiftie righteous within the citie, wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for the fiftie righteous that are therein? 25 Be it farre fro thee from doing this thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be euen as the wicked, be it farre from thee. shall not the Iudge of all the worlde doe right? 26 And the Lord answered, If I shall finde in Sodom fiftie righteous within the citie, then will I spare all the place for their sakes. 27 Then Abraham answered and said, Behold nowe, I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord, and I am but dust and ashes. 28 If there shall lacke fiue of fiftie righteous, wilt thou destroy all the citie for fiue? And he saide, If I finde there fiue and fourtie, I will not destroy it. 29 And he yet spake to him againe, and saide, What if there shalbe found fourtie there? Then he answered, I will not doe it for fourties sake. 30 Againe he said, Let not my Lord nowe be angry, that I speake, What if thirtie be founde there? Then he saide, I will not doe it, if I finde thirtie there. 31 Moreouer he said, Behold, now I haue begonne to speake vnto my Lord, What if twentie be founde there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for twenties sake. 32 Then he saide, Let not my Lord be nowe angrie, and I will speake but this once, What if tenne be found there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for tennes sake.
• Exod 9:28-29 : 28 Pray ye vnto the Lorde (for it is ynough) that there be no more mightie thunders and haile, and I will let you goe, and yee shall tarie no longer. 29 Then Moses saide vnto him, Assoone as I am out of the citie, I will spreade mine hands vnto the Lorde, and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more haile, that thou mayest knowe that the earth is the Lordes.
• Exod 9:33 : 33 Then Moses went out of the citie from Pharaoh, and spred his hands to the Lorde, and the thunder and the haile ceased, neither rained it vpon the earth.
• Exod 17:11 : 11 And when Moses helde vp his hande, Israel preuailed: but when he let his hande downe, Amalek preuailed.
• Exod 32:10-14 : 10 Nowe therefore let mee alone, that my wrath may waxe hote against them, for I wil consume the: but I wil make of thee a mighty people. 11 But Moses praied vnto the Lord his God, and said, O Lord, why doeth thy wrath waxe hote against thy people, which thou hast brought out of the lande of Egypt, with great power and with a mightie hand? 12 Wherefore shall the Egyptians speake, and say, He hath brought them out maliciously for to slay them in the mountaines, and to consume them from the earth? turne from thy fearce wrath, and change thy minde from this euill towarde thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Izhak, and Israel thy seruants, to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe, and saydest vnto them, I wil multiply your seede, as the starres of the heauen, & all this land, that I haue spoken of, wil I giue vnto your seede, and they shal inherit it for euer. 14 Then the Lord changed his minde fro the euil, which he threatned to do vnto his people.
• Gen 19:29 : 29 But yet when God destroyed the cities of the plaine, God thought vpon Abraham, and sent Lot out from the middes of the destruction, when he ouerthrewe the cities, wherein Lot dwelled.
• Gen 20:7 : 7 Now then deliuer the man his wife againe: for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest liue: but if thou deliuer her not againe, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast.
• Gen 32:28 : 28 Then said he, Thy name shalbe called Iaakob no more, but Israel: because thou hast had power with God, thou shalt also preuaile with men.
• Gen 41:9-9 : 9 Then spake the chiefe butler vnto Pharaoh, saying, I call to minde my faultes this day. 10 Pharaoh being angrie with his seruantes, put me in ward in the chiefe stewards house, both me and the chiefe baker.
• 1 Kgs 17:18-24 : 18 And she said vnto Eliiah, What haue I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come vnto me to call my sinne to remembrance, and to slay my sonne? 19 And he said vnto her, Giue me thy sonne; he tooke him out of her bosome, and caryed him vp into a chamber, where he abode, and laid him vpon his owne bed. 20 Then he called vnto the Lord, and sayde, O Lorde my God, hast thou punished also this widowe, with whome I soiourne, by killing her sonne? 21 And he stretched himselfe vpon the childe three times, and called vnto the Lord, and saide, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this childes soule come into him againe. 22 Then the Lord heard the voyce of Eliiah, and the soule of the child came into him againe, and he reuiued. 23 And Eliiah tooke the childe, and brought him downe out of the chamber into the house, and deliuered him vnto his mother, and Eliiah sayd, Behold, thy sonne liueth. 24 And the woman saide vnto Eliiah, Now I knowe that thou art a man of God, and that the worde of the Lord in thy mouth is true.
• 2 Kgs 4:33-35 : 33 He went in therefore, and shut the doore vpon them twayne, and prayed vnto the Lord. 34 After he went vp, and lay vpon the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes vpon his eies, and his hands vpon his handes, and stretched himselfe vpon him, and the flesh of the child waxed warme. 35 And hee went from him, and walked vp & downe in the house, and went vp and spred himselfe vpon him: then the childe neesed seuen times, and opened his eyes.
• 2 Kgs 19:15-20 : 15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lorde, and saide, O Lorde God of Israel, which dwellest betweene the Cherubims, thou art very God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth: thou hast made the heauen and the earth. 16 Lord, bow downe thine eare, and heare: Lorde open thine eyes and behold, and heare the wordes of Saneherib, who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God. 17 Trueth it is, Lord, that the Kings of Asshur haue destroyed the nations and their landes, 18 And haue set fire on their gods: for they were no gods, but the worke of mans hands, euen wood and stone: therefore they destroyed them. 19 Nowe therefore, O Lorde our God, I beseech thee, saue thou vs out of his hande, that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe, that thou, O Lord, art onely God. 20 Then Isaiah the sonne of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I haue heard that which thou hast prayed me, concerning Saneherib King of Asshur.
• Num 21:7-9 : 7 Therefore the people came to Moses & said, We haue sinned: for wee haue spoken against the Lord, and against thee: pray to the Lorde, that he take away the serpents from vs: and Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it vp for a signe, that as many as are bitten, may looke vpon it, and liue. 9 So Moses made a serpent of brasse, and set it vp for a signe: and when a serpent had bitten a man, then he looked to the serpent of brasse, and liued.
• Deut 9:18-20 : 18 And I fell downe before the Lorde, fourtie dayes, and fourtie nightes, as before: I neither ate bread nor dranke water, because of al your sinnes, which ye had committed, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lorde, in that ye prouoked him vnto wrath. 19 (For I was afraide of the wrath and indignation, wherewith the Lord was mooued against you, euen to destroy you) yet the Lord heard me at that time also. 20 Likewise ye Lorde was very angrie with Aaron, euen to destroy him: but at that time I prayed also for Aaron.
• Josh 10:12 : 12 Then spake Ioshua to the Lord, in the day when the Lord gaue the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he sayd in the sight of Israel, Sunne, stay thou in Gibeon, and thou moone, in the valley of Aialon.
• Matt 7:7-9 : 7 Aske, and it shall be giuen you: seeke, and ye shall finde: knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you. 8 For whosoeuer asketh, receiueth: and he, that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. 9 For what man is there among you, which if his sonne aske him bread, woulde giue him a stone? 10 Or if he aske fish, wil he giue him a serpent? 11 If ye then, which are euill, can giue to your children good giftes, howe much more shall your Father which is in heauen, giue good thinges to them that aske him?
• Dan 9:20-22 : 20 And whiles I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sinne, and the sinne of my people Israel, and did present my supplication before the Lord my God, for the holy Mountaine of my God, 21 Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, euen the man Gabriel, whome I had seene before in the vision, came flying, and touched mee about the time of the euening oblation. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and sayd, O Daniel, I am now come forth to giue thee knowledge and vnderstanding.
• Jer 33:3 : 3 Call vnto me, and I will answere thee, and shewe thee great and mightie things, which thou knowest not.
• 2 Chr 30:20 : 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people.
• 2 Chr 32:20-22 : 20 But Hezekiah the King, and the Prophet Isaiah the sonne of Amoz prayed against this and cryed to heauen. 21 And the Lorde sent an Angel which destroyed all the valiant men, and the princes and captaines of the hoste of the King of Asshur: so he returned with shame to his owne lande; when he was come into the house of his god, they that came foorth of his owne bowels, slewe him there with the sworde. 22 So the Lorde saued Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem from the hande of Saneherib King of Asshur, and from the hande of all other, and maintained them on euery side.
• Luke 7:3-4 : 3 And when he heard of Iesus, hee sent vnto him the Elders of the Iewes, beseeching him that he would come, and heale his seruant. 4 So they came to Iesus, and besought him instantly, saying that hee was worthy that hee should doe this for him:
• Acts 4:24-31 : 24 And when they heard it, they lift vp their voyces to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou art the God which hast made the heaue, and the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 25 Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast saide, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the people imagine vaine things? 26 The Kings of the earth assembled, and the rulers came together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For doutlesse, against thine holy Sonne Iesus, whome thou haddest anoynted, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together, 28 To doe whatsoeuer thine hand, and thy counsell had determined before to be done. 29 And nowe, O Lorde, beholde their threatnings, and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word, 30 So that thou stretch forth thine hand, that healing, and signes, and wonders may be done by the Name of thine holy Sonne Iesus. 31 And when as they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God boldely.
• Acts 10:38 : 38 To wit, howe God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost, and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the deuill: for God was with him.
• Acts 12:5-9 : 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer was made of ye Church vnto God for him. 6 And when Herod woulde haue brought him out vnto the people, the same night slept Peter betweene two souldiers, bound with two chaines, and the keepers before the doore, kept the prison. 7 And behold the Angel of the Lord came vpon them, and a light shined in the house, and he smote Peter on the side, and raysed him vp, saying, Arise quickely; his chaines fell off from his handes. 8 And the Angel saide vnto him, Girde thy selfe, and binde on thy sandales; so he did. Then he said vnto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and followe me. 9 So Peter came out and followed him, and knewe not that it was true, which was done by the Angel, but thought he had seene a vision. 10 Nowe when they were past the first and the second watch, they came vnto the yron gate, that leadeth vnto the citie, which opened to them by it owne accord, and they went out, and passed through one streete, and by and by the Angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himselfe, he said, Nowe I know for a trueth, that the Lord hath sent his Angel, and hath deliuered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the wayting for of the people of the Iewes.
• Col 1:9 : 9 For this cause wee also, since the day wee heard of it, cease not to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be fulfilled with knowledge of his will in all wisdome, and spirituall vnderstanding,
• Rom 3:10 : 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one.
• 1 Thess 5:23 : 23 Nowe the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout: and I pray God that your whole spirite and soule and body, may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ.
• 1 Thess 5:25 : 25 Brethren, pray for vs.
• Heb 11:7 : 7 By faith Noe being warned of God of the things which were as yet not seene, mooued with reuerence, prepared the Arke to the sauing of his housholde, through the which Arke hee condemned the world, and was made heire of the righteousnes, which is by faith.
• Heb 13:18 : 18 Pray for vs: for we are assured that we haue a good conscience in all things, desiring to liue honestly.
• Heb 11:4 : 4 By faith Abel offered vnto God a greater sacrifice then Cain, by the which he obtained witnes that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: by the which faith also he being dead, yet speaketh.
• Luke 9:6 : 6 And they went out, & went through euery towne preaching the Gospel, and healing euery where.
• 2 Chr 14:11-12 : 11 And Asa cryed vnto the Lorde his God, and saide, Lord, it is nothing with thee to helpe with many, or with no power: helpe vs, O Lorde our God: for we rest on thee, and in thy Name are we come against this multitude: O Lorde, thou art our God, let not man preuaile against thee. 12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah, and the Ethiopians fled.
• 1 Kgs 13:6 : 6 Then the King answered, and saide vnto the man of God, I beseeche thee, pray vnto ye Lorde thy God, and make intercession for me, that mine hand may bee restored vnto me; the man of God besought the Lord, and the Kings hand was restored, and became as it was afore.
• Dan 2:18-23 : 18 That they should beseech the God of heauen for grace in this secrete, that Daniel and his fellowes should not perish with the rest of ye wise men of Babel. 19 Then was the secret reueiled vnto Daniel in a vision by night: therefore Daniel praysed the God of heauen. 20 And Daniel answered and sayde, The Name of God be praysed for euer and euer: for wisedome and strength are his, 21 And hee changeth the times & seasons: he taketh away kings: he setteth vp kings: he giueth wisedome vnto the wise, and vnderstanding to those that vnderstand. 22 Hee discouereth the deepe and secrete things: he knoweth what is in darkenes, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thanke thee & prayse thee, O thou God of my fathers, that thou hast giuen mee wisedome and strength, and hast shewed me nowe the thing that wee desired of thee: for thou hast declared vnto vs the kings matter.
• Jer 15:1 : 1 Then sayde the Lord vnto me, Though Moses and Samuel stoode before mee, yet mine affection coulde not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them depart.
• Hos 12:3-4 : 3 Hee tooke his brother by the heele in the wombe, and by his strength he had power with God, 4 And had power ouer the Angel, and preuailed: he wept and praied vnto him: he founde him in Beth-el, and there he spake with vs.
• Matt 18:15-17 : 15 Moreouer, if thy brother trespasse against thee, goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone: if he heare thee, thou hast wonne thy brother. 16 But if he heare thee not, take yet with thee one or two, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde may be confirmed. 17 And if he refuse to heare them, tell it vnto the Church: and if he refuse to heare the Church also, let him be vnto thee as an heathen man, and a Publicane.
• Num 14:13-20 : 13 But Moses saide vnto the Lorde, When the Egyptians shall heare it, (for thou broughtest this people by thy power from among them) 14 Then they shall say to the inhabitants of this land, (for they haue heard that thou, Lorde, art among this people, and that thou, Lorde, art seene face to face, and that thy cloude standeth ouer them, and that thou goest before them by day time in a pillar of a cloude, and in a pillar of fire by night) 15 That thou wilt kill this people as one man: so the heathen which haue heard the fame of thee, shall thus say, 16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the lande, which he sware vnto them, therefore hath he slaine them in the wildernesse. 17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lorde be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 18 The Lord is slowe to anger, and of great mercie, and forgiuing iniquitie, and sinne, but not making the wicked innocent, and visiting the wickednes of the fathers vpon the children, in the thirde and fourth generation: 19 Be mercifull, I beseech thee, vnto the iniquitie of this people, according to thy great mercie, and as thou hast forgiuen this people from Egypt, euen vntill nowe. 20 And the Lord said, I haue forgiuen it, according to thy request.
• 1 Sam 12:18 : 18 Then Samuel called vnto the Lorde, and the Lorde sent thunder and raine the same day: and all the people feared the Lorde and Samuel exceedingly.
• 2 Sam 19:19 : 19 And saide vnto the King, Let not my lorde impute wickednesse vnto me, nor remember ye thing that thy seruant did wickedly when my lorde the King departed out of Ierusalem, that the King should take it to his heart.