James · Chapter 5 · Prayer
James 5:13 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises."
KJV · King James Version
"Is2553 any5100 among1722 you5213 afflicted2553? let him pray4336. Is2114 any5100 merry2114? let him sing psalms5567."
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses afflicted, merry, psalms, while the WEB renders these as suffering, cheerful, praises. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
James 5:13 in James 5
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is James 5:13 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of James 5. Read the full chapter →
- v.11 Behold, we call them blessed who endured. You have heard of the perseverance of Job, and have seen the Lord in the outcome, and how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
- v.12 But above all things, my brothers, don’t swear — not by heaven, or by the earth, or by any other oath; but let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no”, “no”; so that you don’t fall into hypocrisy.
- v.13 Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.
- v.14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
- v.15 and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Book background
About the Book of James
- Testament
- New Testament
- Genre
- General epistle
- Author
- James, half-brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church
- Date written
- c. 45–50 AD (possibly the earliest NT book)
- Audience
- Jewish Christians scattered across the Roman world
- Chapters
- 5
James is the New Testament's wisdom book — practical, direct, and full of pithy imperatives. It tests genuine faith by visible works ("faith without works is dead" — 2:17), warns about the tongue, demands care for the poor, urges patience in trials, and insists on real-world holiness.
Setting: Written from Jerusalem in the church's earliest decade.
Key themes: wisdom · works · speech · patience · practical faith
Memorisation aid
How to memorise James 5:13
James 5:13 contains 15 words in 2 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
Is any among you suffering? Let him pray
IAAYSL
- 2
Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.
IACLHS
Frequently asked
FAQ about James 5:13
What does James 5:13 say?
James 5:13 reads: "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises." — from the New Testament, James (General epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is James 5:13 in?
James 5:13 is in the book of James, traditionally attributed to James, half-brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church and written around c. 45–50 AD (possibly the earliest NT book). James is general epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to Jewish Christians scattered across the Roman world. Best known for "faith without works is dead".
What is James 5:13 about?
James 5:13 is primarily a Bible verse about Prayer. Within James, James is the New Testament's wisdom book — practical, direct, and full of pithy imperatives. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between James 5:13 in WEB and KJV?
James 5:13 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Is2553 any5100 among1722 you5213 afflicted2553? let him pray4336. Is2114 any5100 merry2114? let him sing psalms5567.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is James 5:13?
James 5:13 is 15 words in the WEB translation (80 characters), broken into 2 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 5 seconds.
How can I memorise James 5:13?
To memorise James 5:13, split it into its 2 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does James 5:13 matter in James?
James is the New Testament's wisdom book — practical, direct, and full of pithy imperatives. It tests genuine faith by visible works ("faith without works is dead" — 2:17), warns about the tongue, demands care for the poor, urges patience in trials, and insists on real-world holiness. James 5:13 sits within this larger story — James as a whole emphasises wisdom, works, speech.
How can I apply James 5:13 today?
Many readers use James 5:13 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download James 5:13 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
More designs
10 verses to read next
A fresh set of verses every visit — each on its own photo background. Tap any card to open the full study page.
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Philippians 4:6-7
“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which sur…”
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-
Matthew 7:7
““Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.”
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-
2 Chronicles 7:14
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, will fo…”
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Matthew 6:9
“Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
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James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
Read context →
-
James 5:14-15
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the pra…”
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-
Psalms 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.”
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-
Psalms 34:4
“I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
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Psalms 51:10
“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”
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-
Jeremiah 33:3
“‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don’t know.’”
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More featured verses in James 5
Read full chapter → James 5:14-15
“Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the pra…”
Read context →
James 5:16
“Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.”
Read context →
More featured verses in James
Browse James →
James 1:5
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.”
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James 1:17
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.”
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James 1:19
“So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;”
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James 4:8
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
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