5:15a–b

the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick: This sentence is a figure of speech called personification. In this personification, the prayer itself is said to heal the sick person. James meant that when the elders pray to the Lord, the Lord would heal the sick man.

There are at least two ways to translate this figure of speech:

• Keep the personification. For example:

This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; (Good News Translation)

• Translate the meaning. For example:

When they pray in faith, the Lord will heal the sick person.

5:15a

And: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And here introduces the result of the elders’ praying. Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:

So then
-or-
As a result
-or-
And so

In some languages, no conjunction is necessary here.

the prayer offered in faith: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the prayer offered in faith is literally “the prayer of faith” (as in the Revised Standard Version). This means that the elders who were praying needed to have faith or trust in God. James did not say what they should be trusting God for, but it is implied that they should trust him to heal the sick person. (There are at least three ways to interpret the word faith here. (1) Some commentators say that faith here is faith that God will heal the sick person. (2) Other commentators say that faith here is a more general faith. It is a belief that God is good, that he can be trusted, that he delights in answering prayer, and that he can answer prayer. (3) Other commentators say that faith here is an unwavering commitment to God and Jesus as the Messiah.) For example:

when they pray to God and they trust that he will make the sick one well

the prayer: The phrase the prayer refers back to the prayer mentioned in 5:14. In some languages, it is more natural to translate the noun prayer with a verb. For instance:

When they pray to God

offered: The word offered has been supplied by the Berean Standard Bible. It is formal language and simply means that the prayer is prayed or spoken to God. Another way to translate this is:

that is said (New Century Version)

If you translate the phrase “the prayer” with a verb, you do not need to translate the word offered.

in faith: The phrase in faith means “while believing.” Here it refers to the faith of those who are praying. In some languages, it is more natural to translate faith with a verb or clause. For example:

pray believing that the Lord will heal
-or-
trusting the Lord to heal the sick person

5:15b

will restore: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will restore is literally “will save” (as in the Revised Standard Version). In the context of a very sick person, it means “will heal,” or “will make well.” For example:

will heal (Good News Translation)
-or-
will cure (God’s Word)
-or-
will cause…to become well

5:15c

The Lord will raise him up: This clause explains the clause “will…make well” (in 5:15b). The elders’ prayer heals the sick person in the sense that the Lord Jesus responds to the prayer by healing the sick person.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

and the Lord will make you well (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
the Lord will heal that person (New Century Version)

The Lord: The phrase the Lord probably refers to Jesus Christ, as in 5:14e. Another way to translate this phrase is:

the Lord Jesus

5:15d

If he has sinned: The clause If he has sinned indicates that there was a possibility that the person had sinned and had not yet asked God to forgive him. It is implied that this sin may have something to do with his sickness. But do not translate this in such a way as to suggest that everyone who is sick has sinned.

sinned: The word sinned refers to doing something that is against God’s will and God’s law. This includes acts, thoughts, and attitudes. In other words, sin means to do anything that violates God’s standard of what is right or good.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

disobeyed God
-or-
done wrong
-or-
done something against God’s will

The noun sin occurs in 1:15b.

5:15e

he will be forgiven: This is a passive clause. James implied that the person would be forgiven by the Lord. So there are at least two ways to translate this:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

you will be forgiven (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

• Use an active verb. For example:

the Lord will forgive him/you(sing)

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.