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James 5:17

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.”

James 5:17 · direct translation from the Greek
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With the Greek beneath

17

Theme · 1 Kings 17:1

Go to 1 Kings 17:1

James says that Elijah prayed that it would not rain; 1 Kings 17:1 tells that he announced the drought, and 18:42-45 that he prayed and it rained.

The same term appears in both passages.

  • ἨλίαςĒliasG2243אֵלִיָּהוּeliyahuH452“Elijah”

James 5:17, word by word

ElijahἨλίαςĒlias

Elijah

Elijah, the prophet of Israel taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2); Malachi announced his return.

Where else “Ēlias” appears
wasἦνēn

be

To be: says who or what something is.

Where else “ēn” appears
a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos

mortal

Humans, weak before God.

Where else “anthrōpos” appears
with a nature likeὁμοιοπαθὴςhomoiopathēs

of like nature

Of like nature, having the same feelings and weaknesses.

Where else “homoiopathēs” appears
he prayedπροσηύξατοprosēuxato

pray

Pray: speak with God.

Where else “prosēuxato” appears
earnestlyπροσευχῇproseuchēi

prayer

Talking with God, asking him.

Where else “proseuchēi” appears
rainβρέξαιbrexai

rain

For rain to fall from the sky, or to send it down.

Where else “brexai” appears
the landγῆςgēs

land

A country or a region.

Where else “gēs” appears
for threeτρεῖςtreis

three

Three.

Where else “treis” appears
yearsἐνιαυτοὺςeniautous

year

Year.

Where else “eniautous” appears
sixἕξhex

six

Six.

Where else “hex” appears
monthsμῆναςmēnas

month

A period of about thirty days, one of the twelve parts of the year.

Where else “mēnas” appears

Translation note

Recalls 1 Kings 17-18; also Luke 4:25.

The context

16So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The supplication of a righteous person is very powerful in its working.

17 · This verse (above)

18And he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the land produced its fruit.

Read all of James 5

To study James 5 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What warning does James give to the rich who have stored up wealth (v. 1-6)?

  2. 2. What it means

    James gives the farmer and the prophets as examples (v. 7-11). What does he want to teach about patience through them?

  3. 3. How I live it

    James encourages praying for one another (v. 13-16). Who needs your prayer or your company this week?

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