Verse Lens · Concise explanation
James 5:17 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 17. 17Elias 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.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse emphasizes Elijah's shared humanity and earnest prayer in the drought tradition.
Read It With
- James 5:13–18
Read James 5:17 with 5:13–18. This verse emphasizes Elijah's shared humanity and earnest prayer in the drought tradition. The complete unit establishes this movement: Every condition is brought before God: sufferers pray, the cheerful praise, the sick call elders for prayer and anointing, the community confesses and prays for healing, and Elijah shows that effective prayer comes from a person sharing ordinary human weakness.
Why This Verse Appears Here
James ends not with isolated endurance but with practices through which the community carries suffering, joy, sickness, sin, and hope together before God. Within that movement, this verse emphasizes Elijah's shared humanity and earnest prayer in the drought tradition.
Read James 5:13–18 together
Why these verses belong together: Suffering, joy, sickness, anointing, conditional forgiveness, confession, healing, and Elijah are held in communal prayer.
Verse 13. 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Verse 14. 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 Lord:
Verse 15. 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Verse 16. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Verse 17. 17 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.
Verse 18. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“subject to like passions as we are”
In plain language: Elijah was a human of the same nature, not a different species of saint.
emphasizes Elijah's shared humanity and earnest prayer in the drought tradition. Effective prayer does not depend on superhuman status.
Why it matters: The wording identifies this verse's distinct contribution to the complete unit.
How certain? strongWhat Remains True
Effective prayer does not depend on superhuman status.
How It Can Shape Life
- Pray faithfully while remaining honest about ordinary human limits.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read James 5:13–18 — Suffering, Joy, Sickness, Confession, and Rain Are Brought to PrayerSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact KJV wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: James 5:13–18, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Jas.txt, 5:13–18
Open the James Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — James with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005–2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, textual alternatives, and interpretive notes.
Exact location: NET Bible official six-page James PDF, 5:13–18 translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open the official NET James PDF ↗