2 Kings 5–6; John 18

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2 Kings 5–6

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

lNaaman, mcommander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.1 Now the Syrians on none of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy. So Naaman went in and told his lord, Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.

So he went, otaking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels2 of gold, and ten pchanges of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy. And when the king of Israel read the letter, qhe tore his clothes and said, rAm I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only sconsider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.

But when Elisha the tman of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, uGo and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean. 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana3 and Pharpar, the rivers of vDamascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, wMy father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, Wash, and be clean? 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, xand his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, yand he was clean.

Gehazi’s Greed and Punishment

15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, Behold, I know that zthere is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so aaccept now a present from your servant. 16 But he said, bAs the Lord lives, before whom I stand, cI will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. 18 In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of dRimmon to worship there, eleaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter. 19 He said to him, fGo in peace.

But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 20 gGehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. hAs the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him. 21 So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, iIs all well? 22 And he said, All is well. My master has sent me to say, There have just now come to me from jthe hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and ktwo changes of clothing. 23 And Naaman said, lBe pleased to accept two talents. And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi. 24 And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, Where have you been, Gehazi? And he said, Your servant went nowhere. 26 But he said to him, Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever. So he went out from his presence ma leper, like snow.

The Axe Head Recovered

Now nthe sons of the prophets said to Elisha, See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there. And he answered, Go. Then one of them said, Be pleased to go with your servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, Alas, my master! It was borrowed. Then the man of God said, Where did it fall? When he showed him the place, ohe cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, Take it up. So he reached out his hand and took it.

Horses and Chariots of Fire

Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, At such and such a place shall be my camp. But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there. 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.

11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel? 12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom. 13 And he said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him. It was told him, Behold, he is in pDothan. 14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, Alas, my master! What shall we do? 16 He said, Do not be afraid, qfor those who are with us are more than those who are with them. 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, O Lord, please ropen his eyes that he may see. So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of shorses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, Please strike this people with blindness. tSo he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. And he led them to Samaria.

20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, O Lord, ropen the eyes of these men, that they may see. So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, uMy father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down? 22 He answered, You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive vwith your sword and with your bow? wSet bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master. 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again xon raids into the land of Israel.

Ben-hadad’s Siege of Samaria

24 Afterward yBen-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab4 of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. 26 Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king! 27 And he said, If the Lord will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress? 28 And the king asked her, What is your trouble? She answered, This woman said to me, Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. 29 zSo we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, Give your son, that we may eat him. But she has hidden her son. 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, ahe tore his clothesnow he was passing by on the walland the people looked, and behold, ahe had sackcloth beneath on his body 31 and he said, bMay God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.

32 Elisha was sitting in his house, cand the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, Do you see how this dmurderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? 33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, This trouble is from the Lord! eWhy should I wait for the Lord any longer?


John 18

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

When Jesus had spoken these words, nhe went out with his disciples across othe brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew pthe place, for qJesus often met there with his disciples. rSo Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, sknowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, tWhom do you seek? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am he.1 Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. uWhen Jesus2 said to them, I am he, they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, tWhom do you seek? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go. vThis was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one. 10 Then Simon Peter, whaving a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant3 and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword into its sheath; xshall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?

Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas

12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews4 arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they yled him to zAnnas, for he was the father-in-law of aCaiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews bthat it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus

15 cSimon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 dbut Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 eThe servant girl at the door said to Peter, You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you? He said, I am not. 18 Now the servants5 and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. fPeter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

19 gThe high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, I have spoken hopenly ito the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. jI have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said. 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, kIs that how you answer the high priest? 23 Jesus answered him, If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me? 24 lAnnas then sent him bound to lCaiaphas the high priest.

Peter Denies Jesus Again

25 mNow Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, You also are not one of his disciples, are you? He denied it and said, I am not. 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of nthe man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, Did I not see you oin the garden with him? 27 Peter again denied it, and pat once a rooster crowed.

Jesus Before Pilate

28 qThen they led Jesus rfrom the house of Caiaphas to sthe governor’s headquarters.6 It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, tso that they would not be defiled, ubut could eat the Passover. 29 vSo Pilate went outside to them and said, What accusation do you bring against this man? 30 They answered him, If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you. 31 Pilate said to them, wTake him yourselves and judge him by your own law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. 32 xThis was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken yto show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

33 zSo Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, aAre you the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? 36 Jesus answered, bMy kingdom cis not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, dmy servants would have been fighting, that eI might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. 37 Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, fYou say that I am a king. gFor this purpose I was born and for this purpose hI have come into the worldito bear witness to the truth. jEveryone who is kof the truth llistens to my voice. 38 Pilate said to him, What is truth?

After he had said this, mhe went back outside to the Jews and told them, nI find no guilt in him. 39 oBut you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews? 40 They cried out again, pNot this man, but Barabbas! Now Barabbas was a robber.7