What does James 5:16 mean?

“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.”

Here’s what that means:

• Effectual — effective; prayer that truly works or accomplishes something.
• Fervent — earnest, sincere, and deeply engaged rather than careless or merely going through the motions.
• Righteous man — someone seeking to live rightly before God in faith and obedience.
• Availeth much — has great power or accomplishes much.

So, in simple words: The sincere, earnest prayer of a person who is walking with God can accomplish much through God.

The next verses give Elijah as an example. James 5:17–18 says Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and later prayed again and God sent rain. James also emphasizes that Elijah “was a man subject to like passions as we are,” showing that he wasn’t some superhuman person—he was a man who earnestly prayed to God.