What does the King James Bible say about healing?

Answer 1

James instructs for spiritual efforts within the Church:

"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." --James 5:14-15

David said:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul ... who healeth all thy diseases." -- Psalm 103:2-3

And as Jesus said to the woman who touched his garment: "Thy faith hath made thee whole." -- Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:34, Luke 8:48

Regarding miracles through Paul:

"So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." -- Acts 19:12 Yet Paul said later:

"Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick." 2 Timothy 2:20.

=== === Whereas some would say that healing comes automatically with salvation, a closer look may show that God chooses sovereignly whether to heal, based on other factors. Paul had asked 3 times earnestly in prayer to be healed, but revealed that God had given this infirmity to him, "lest I should be exalted above measure," for the things which were revealed to him. 2 Corinthians 12:7. Paul, writer of approximately half the New Testament books, related that God said: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." v. 9.

Paul's submissive response was: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." v. 9. He was more interested, according to this, that he would have spiritual strength from God, than physical ability. There were occasions that recorded miracles done by Paul, insomuch "that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." Acts 19:12. But this doesn't seem to be a constant pattern, as he later said: "Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick." 2 Timothy 2:20. The indications are that God sometimes heals, sometimes not, as He deems best. Interestingly, among the spiritual gifts, there is not the gift of healing, but "the gifts (plural) of healing, indicating once again, that God heals sovereignly as he wills, on differing occasions. As far as some that teach that we should not go to a doctor, Jesus indicated the contrary: "They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick " Luke 5:31. Luke is called, in Colossians 4:14, "the beloved physician," having traveled extensively with Paul & having written the book of Acts.

Of course, doctors then, as well as now could not heal all maladies. While there was nothing wrong with going to the doctor, the position of faith seems clear: it is not just the doctor to seek help, but also the Lord. "And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians." 2 Chronicles 16:12. If after prayer & the doctors help, the ailment persists, one may have to gather the leaders of the church for prayer: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." James 5:14,15. Note that it says, "If he have committed sins...", not: "because he committed sins." Obviously, sometimes it is. But we see in the book of Job that his friends made a false conclusion that Job must have sinned to have the troubles which he experienced & the illness that beset him. They were rebuked by God. So, sometimes it is another reason that someone suffers.

Another occasion Jesus healed a man blind from birth. this is the record: "And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." So we see another instance where there was a reason other than sin for an ailment.

So much instruction exists about healing in the Scriptures, but careful sorting out of what is said is essential to understanding.