Death in the Pot

³⁸ Elisha returned to Gilgal^(A) and there was a famine^(B) in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”

³⁹ One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. ⁴⁰ The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.

⁴¹ Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.^(C)

³¹ Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi,^(A) eat something.”

³² But he said to them, “I have food to eat^(B) that you know nothing about.”

³³ Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will^(C) of him who sent me and to finish his work.^{(D) 35} Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.^{(E) 36} Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests^(F) a crop for eternal life,^(G) so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’^(H) is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”