# James 5.20

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-10-14 | updated: 2026-10-14 -->

**Book:** [James](/codex/james/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 18. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19. My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;
>
> **20. 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.** (James 5:18-20, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 18. He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19. Brothers, if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back,
>
> **20. 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.** (James 5:18-20, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 18. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
>
> **20. 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.** (James 5:18-20, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 18. and again he did pray, and the heaven did give rain, and the land did bring forth her fruit. 19. Brethren, if any among you may go astray from the truth, and any one may turn him back,
>
> **20. let him know that he who did turn back a sinner from the straying of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.** (James 5:18-20, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Lexicon:**

- [H7725 - shuv](/codex/h7725-shuv/), via [James 5.19-20](/codex/james-5-19-20/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.