James 5:7–20

Be Patient

⁷Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes again. See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. ⁸You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope. The Lord will soon be here. ⁹Brothers and sisters, stop complaining about each other, or you will be condemned. Realize that the judge is standing at the door. 

¹⁰Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They were patient when they suffered unjustly. ¹¹We consider those who endure to be blessed. You have heard about Job’s endurance. You saw that the Lord ended Job’s suffering because the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 

Don’t Take Oaths

¹²Above all things, my brothers and sisters, do not take an oath on anything in heaven or on earth. Do not take any oath. If you mean yes, say yes. If you mean no, say no. Do this so that you won’t be condemned. 

Prayer Is Powerful

¹³If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing psalms. ¹⁴If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil^ain the name of the Lord. ¹⁵(Prayers offered in faith will save those who are sick, and the Lord will cure them.) If you have sinned, you will be forgiven. ¹⁶So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed. 

Prayers offered by those who have God’s approval are effective. ¹⁷Elijah was human like us. Yet, when he prayed that it wouldn’t rain, no rain fell on the ground for three-and-a-half years. ¹⁸Then he prayed again. It rained, and the ground produced crops. 

Help Those Who Have Wandered Away from the Truth

¹⁹My brothers and sisters, if one of you wanders from the truth, someone can bring that person back. ²⁰Realize that whoever brings a sinner back from the error of his ways will save him from death, and many sins will be forgiven.