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NASB | James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God--it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. |
Subject: Effective and accomplish are energeo |
Bible Note: Greetings Bows44! Excellent points my friend! The details of the text may seem like semantics, but they are very important. For instance, are the prayers of a righteous 'more powerful' or are they 'very powerful'. The text never uses the term 'more'. Even the translation of the last clause is tricky. The Greek literally says, "(The) prayer of a righteous (man) is much powerful while it is working." The American Standard Version seems to come closest to the Greek. It translates the verse as, "Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." The last verb 'while working' could also be passive in voice instead of middle, in which case some have argued that it should be translated 'when it is exercised'. Vincent says of this sentence, "Lit., much availeth (ischuo, is strong), the prayer of a righteous man working or operating. The rendering of the A. V., besides being unwarranted by the text, is almost a truism. An effectual prayer is a prayer that avails. The Rev. is at once more correct and more natural: The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." So, there is a lot of semantics to discuss in this sentence! ;-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |