James 5:14

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — James addresses believers experiencing suffering or illness, directing them to summon church leadership when physical affliction occurs. He writes to scattered Christian communities navigating persecution and daily hardship.

The words — The Greek πρεσβυτέρους (presbyterous) literally denotes "elders," identifying the recognized leaders of the local assembly. The imperative προσκαλέσασθω (proskalesasthō) commands a person to "call near" or formally summon these figures.

The thread — The practice of anointing the sick with oil appears in Mark 6:13, where disciples perform it during missionary outreach. The apostolic precedent for praying over the physically ill is recorded in Acts 28:8.

Why it lands — The text explicitly commands the sick to request prayer and oil anointing from church elders rather than enduring illness in isolation. It requires readers to submit personal suffering to established leadership for communal intercession and spiritual authority.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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:

Cross-references

Mark 6:13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.
Acts 28:8 The 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 16:18 they 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.”
2 Kings 4:33 So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
2 Kings 5:11 But 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.
Acts 9:40 Then 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.
Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
Acts 15:4 On 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 1:5 The 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.
1 Kings 17:21 Then 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!”