James 5:20

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Translations sourced from the public-domain WEB, KJV, and ASV. See all sources.

“let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

— WEB

“Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

— KJV

“let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.”

— ASV

Cross-references

Related verses via the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

1 Peter 4:8 "And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins."
Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs."
1 Timothy 4:16 "Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who he…"
Proverbs 11:30 "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls."
Romans 11:14 "if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them."
James 5:19 "Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,"
1 Corinthians 9:22 "To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some."
James 1:15 "Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death."

Commentary

Let him--the converted. know--for his comfort, and the encouragement of others to do likewise. shall save--future. The salvation of the one so converted shall be manifested hereafter. shall hide a multitude of sins--not his own, but the sins of the converted. The Greek verb in the middle voice requires this. Pro 10:12 refers to charity "covering" the sins of others before men; James to one's effecting by the conversion of another that that other's sins be covered before God, namely, with Christ's atonement. He effects this by making the convert partaker in the Christian covenant for the remission of all sins. Though this hiding of sins was included in the previous "shall save," James expresses it to mark in detail the greatness of the blessing conferred on the penitent through the converter's instrumentality, and to incite others to the same good deed. Next: 1 Peter Introduction

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)

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