Verse from Luke

“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬ ‭

Prayer is the focus of James 5:13–18. James encourages both individual prayer (v. 13) and community prayer (vv. 14–16). His encouragement to pray in a variety of circumstances demonstrates that prayer is to be a standard part of the life of the believer in Jesus. Whether suffering or cheerful, we’re to pray.

In verse 15, James circles back to what he emphasized in the beginning of his letter—the necessity of faith when praying (see 1:5–6). In 1:5, he tells his readers to ask for wisdom when they need it, but to ask in faith (v. 6). Similarly, in 5:13–18, prayer offered in faith is what’s effective. This echoes Jesus’ own statements on the importance of faith (see Matthew 17:20).