James 5:17

Although the prophet Elijah was ◄an ordinary person/just a human being► like us, he earnestly prayed that it would not rain. As a result, it did not rain for three and a half years.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

In Context

16So, because the Lord is able to heal the sick and to forgive sins, tell each other the sinful things that you have done, and pray for each other in order that you may be healed {that God may heal you} physically and spiritually. If righteous people pray and ask fervently for God to do something, God will certainly do it in a powerful way.

18Then he prayed again, asking God to send rain, and as a result God [MTY] sent rain, and plants grew and produced crops again.

Read all of James 5

Cross References

1 Kings 17:1Elijah was a prophet who lived in Tishbe town in the Gilead region. One day he went to King Ahab and said to him, “Yahweh is the God whom we Israelis worship and the God whom I worship and serve. Just as certainly as Yahweh lives, there will be no dew or rain for the next few years, if I do not command rain to fall!”

Luke 4:25But think about this: There were many widows in Israel during the time when the prophet Elijah lived. During that time, because of there being no rain [MTY] for three years and six months, there was a great famine throughout the country.

Acts 14:15“Men, ◄you must not kill those bulls to worship us(dl)!/why are you doing this?► [RHQ] We are not gods! We are just human beings like you! We have come to tell you some good news! We have come to tell you about the God who is all-powerful. He wants you to stop worshipping other gods, because they cannot help you. This true God made the heaven/sky and the earth and the oceans and everything in it.

Revelation 11:6Those witnesses will have authority to keep rain from falling during the time that they are proclaiming what God reveals to them. They also will have authority to cause water everywhere to become red like [MET] blood, and authority to cause all kinds of plagues to occur. They will do this as often as they want to.

Matthew Henry on James 5:13-20

Caution against Swearing; Profaneness Condemned; Confession and Prayer; Efficacy of Prayer. ( a. d. 61.) 12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 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… Read the whole commentary →

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