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2 Kings 10-12
Contemporary English Version
2 Kings 10-12
Contemporary English Version
Jehu Kills All of Ahab's Descendants
10 Ahab still had 70 descendants living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote a letter to each of the important leaders and officials of the town,[a] and to those who supported Ahab. In the letters he wrote:
2 Your town is strong, and you're protected by chariots and an armed cavalry. And I know that King Ahab's descendants live there with you. So as soon as you read this letter, 3 choose the best person for the job and make him the next king. Then be prepared to defend Ahab's family.
4 The officials and leaders read the letters and were very frightened. They said to each other, “Jehu has already killed King Joram and King Ahaziah! We have to do what he says.” 5 The prime minister, the mayor of the city, as well as the other leaders and Ahab's supporters, sent this answer to Jehu, “We are your servants, Your Majesty, and we will do whatever you tell us. But it's not our place to choose someone to be king. You do what you think is best.”
6 Jehu then wrote another letter which said, “If you are on my side and will obey me, then prove it. Bring me the heads of the descendants of Ahab! And be here in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
The 70 descendants of King Ahab were living with some of the most important people of the city. 7 And when these people read Jehu's second letter, they called together all 70 of Ahab's descendants. They killed them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jezreel.
8 When Jehu was told what had happened, he said, “Put the heads in two piles at the city gate, and leave them there until morning.”
9 The next morning, Jehu went out and stood where everyone could hear him, and he said, “You people are not guilty of anything. I'm the one who plotted against Joram and had him killed. But who killed all these men? 10 Listen to me. Everything the Lord's servant Elijah promised about Ahab's family will come true.”[b]
11 (A) Then Jehu killed the rest of Ahab's relatives living in Jezreel, as well as his highest officials, his priests, and his closest friends. No one in Ahab's family was left alive in Jezreel.
12-13 Jehu left for Samaria, and along the way, he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah at a place where shepherds meet.[c] He asked, “Who are you?”
“We are relatives of Ahaziah,” they answered. “We're going to visit his family.”
14 “Take them alive!” Jehu said to his officers. So they grabbed them and led them to the well near the shepherds' meeting place, where they killed all 42 of them.
15 As Jehu went on, he saw Jehonadab son of Rechab[d] coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him, then said, “Jehonadab, I'm on your side. Are you on mine?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then give me your hand,” Jehu answered. He helped Jehonadab into his chariot 16 and said, “Come with me and see how faithful I am to the Lord.”
They rode together in Jehu's chariot 17 to Samaria. Jehu killed everyone there who belonged to Ahab's family, as well as all his officials. Everyone in his family was now dead, just as the Lord had promised Elijah.
Jehu Kills All the Worshipers of Baal
18 Jehu called together the people in Samaria and said:
King Ahab sometimes worshiped Baal, but I will be completely faithful to Baal. 19 I'm going to offer a huge sacrifice to him. So invite his prophets and priests, and be sure everyone who worships him is there. Anyone who doesn't come will be killed.
But this was a trick—Jehu was really planning to kill the worshipers of Baal. 20 He said, “Announce a day of worship for Baal!” After the day had been announced, 21 Jehu sent an invitation to everyone in Israel. All the worshipers of Baal came, and the temple was filled from one end to the other. 22 Jehu told the official in charge of the sacred robes to make sure that everyone had a robe to wear.
23 Jehu and Jehonadab went into the temple, and Jehu said to the crowd, “Look around and make sure that only the worshipers of Baal are here. No one who worships the Lord is allowed in.” 24 Then they began to offer sacrifices to Baal.
Earlier, Jehu had ordered 80 soldiers to wait outside the temple. He had warned them, “I will get all these worshipers here, and if any of you let even one of them escape, you will be killed instead!”
25 As soon as Jehu finished offering the sacrifice, he told the guards and soldiers, “Come in and kill them! Don't let anyone escape.” They slaughtered everyone in the crowd and threw the bodies outside. Then they went back into the temple 26 and carried out the image of Baal. They burned it 27 and broke it into pieces, then they completely destroyed Baal's temple. And since that time, it's been nothing but a public toilet.[e]
28 That's how Jehu stopped the worship of Baal in Israel. 29 (B) But he did not stop the worship of the gold statues of calves at Dan and Bethel that Jeroboam had made for the people to worship.[f]
30 Later the Lord said, “Jehu, you have done right by destroying Ahab's entire family, just as I had planned. So I will make sure that the next four kings of Israel will come from your own family.”
31 But Jehu did not completely obey the commands of the Lord God of Israel. Instead, he kept doing the sinful things that Jeroboam had caused the Israelites to do.
Jehu Dies
32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria defeated the Israelites and took control 33 of the regions of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan River and north of the town of Aroer near the Arnon River. This was the land where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh had once lived.
34 Everything else Jehu did while he was king, including his brave deeds, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. 35 Jehu died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz became king. 36 Jehu had ruled Israel 28 years from Samaria.
Queen Athaliah of Judah
(2 Chronicles 22.10-12)
11 As soon as Athaliah heard that her son King Ahaziah was dead, she decided to kill any relative who could possibly become king. She would have done that, 2 but Jehosheba rescued Joash son of Ahaziah just as he was about to be murdered. Jehosheba, who was Jehoram's[g] daughter and Ahaziah's half sister, hid her nephew Joash and his personal servant in a bedroom in the Lord's temple where he was safe from Athaliah. 3 Joash hid in the temple with Jehosheba[h] for six years while Athaliah ruled as queen of Judah.
Jehoiada Makes Joash King of Judah
(2 Chronicles 23.1-21)
4 Joash son of Ahaziah had hidden in the Lord's temple six years. Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada the priest sent for the commanders of the king's special bodyguards[i] and the commanders of the palace guards. They met him at the temple, and he asked them to make a promise in the name of the Lord. Then he brought out Joash 5 and said to them:
Here's what I want you to do. Three of your guard units will be on duty on the Sabbath. I want one unit to guard the palace. 6 Another unit will guard Sur Gate, and the third unit will guard the palace gate and relieve the palace guards.
7 The other two guard units are supposed to be off duty on the Sabbath. But I want both of them to stay here at the temple and protect King Joash. 8 Make sure they follow him wherever he goes, and tell them to keep their swords ready to kill anyone who tries to get near him.
9 The commanders followed Jehoiada's orders. Each one called together his guards—those coming on duty and those going off duty. 10 Jehoiada brought out the swords and shields that had belonged to King David and gave them to the commanders. 11 Then they gave the weapons to their guards, who took their positions around the temple and the altar to protect Joash on every side.
12 Jehoiada brought Joash outside, where he placed the crown on his head and gave him a copy of instructions for ruling the nation. Olive oil was poured on his head to show that he was now king, while the crowd clapped and shouted, “Long live the king!”
13 Queen Athaliah heard the crowd and went to the temple. 14 (C) There she saw Joash standing by one of the columns, which was the usual place for the king. The singers[j] and the trumpet players were standing next to him, and the people were celebrating and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in anger and shouted, “You betrayed me, you traitors!”
15 At once, Jehoiada said to the army commanders, “Kill her! But don't do it anywhere near the Lord's temple. Take her out in front of the troops and kill anyone who is with her!” 16 So the commanders dragged her to the gate where horses are led into the palace, and they killed her there.
17 Jehoiada the priest asked King Joash and the people to promise that they would be faithful to each other and to the Lord. 18 Then the crowd went to the temple built to honor Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal right in front of the altars.
After Jehoiada had placed guards around the Lord's temple, 19 he called together all the commanders, the king's special bodyguards,[k] the palace guards, and the people. They led Joash from the temple, through the Guards' Gate, and into the palace. He took his place on the throne and became king of Judah. 20 Everyone celebrated because Athaliah had been killed and Jerusalem was peaceful again. 21 Joash was only seven years old when this happened.
King Joash of Judah
(2 Chronicles 24.1-16)
12 Joash[l] became king of Judah in Jehu's seventh year as king of Israel, and he ruled 40 years from Jerusalem. His mother Zibiah was from the town of Beersheba.
2 Jehoiada the priest taught Joash what was right, and so for the rest of his life Joash obeyed the Lord. 3 But even Joash did not destroy the local shrines,[m] and they were still used as places for offering sacrifices.
4 (D) One day, Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money that has been given to the Lord's temple, whether from taxes or gifts, 5 and use it to repair the temple whenever you see the need.”
6 But the priests never started repairing the temple. So in the twenty-third year of his rule, 7 Joash called for Jehoiada and the other priests and said, “Why aren't you using the money to repair the temple? Don't take any more money for yourselves. It is only to be used to pay for the repairs.” 8 The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money or be in charge of the temple repairs.
9 Jehoiada found a wooden box; he cut a hole in the top of it and set it on the right side of the altar where people went into the temple. Whenever someone gave money to the temple, the priests guarding the entrance would put it into this box. 10 When the box was full of money, the king's secretary and the chief priest would count the money and put it in bags. 11 Then they would give it to the men supervising the repairs to the temple. Some of the money was used to pay the builders, the woodworkers, 12 the stonecutters, and the men who built the walls. And some was used to buy wood and stone and to pay any other costs for repairing the temple.
13 While the repairs were being made, the money that was given to the temple was not used to make silver bowls, lamp snuffers, small sprinkling bowls, trumpets, or anything gold or silver for the temple. 14 It went only to pay for repairs. 15 (E) The men in charge were honest, so no one had to keep track of the money.
16 (F) The fines that had to be paid along with the sacrifices to make things right and the sacrifices for sin did not go to the temple. This money belonged only to the priests.
17 About the same time, King Hazael of Syria attacked the town of Gath and captured it. Next, he decided to attack Jerusalem. 18 So Joash collected everything he and his ancestors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah had dedicated to the Lord, as well as the gold in the storage rooms in the temple and palace. He sent it all to Hazael as a gift, and when Hazael received it, he ordered his troops to leave Jerusalem.
19 Everything else Joash did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Judah. 20-21 At the end of his rule, some of his officers rebelled against him. Jozabad[n] son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer murdered him in a building where the land was filled in on the east side of Jerusalem,[o] near the road to Silla. Joash was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem,[p] and his son Amaziah became king.
Footnotes
- 10.1 the town: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “Jezreel.”
- 10.10 Everything … come true: See 1 Kings 21.17-24.
- 10.12,13 at a place where shepherds meet: Or “at Betheked of the Shepherds.”
- 10.15 Jehonadab son of Rechab: Or “Jehonadab the chariot driver.”
- 10.27 public toilet: Or “garbage dump.”
- 10.29 gold statues … to worship: See 1 Kings 12.26-30.
- 11.2 Jehoram's: The Hebrew text has “Joram's,” another spelling of the name.
- 11.3 Jehosheba: Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoiada the priest (see 2 Chronicles 22.11), which is why she could hide Joash in one of the private bedrooms used only by the priests.
- 11.4 the king's special bodyguards: The Hebrew text has “the Carites,” who were probably foreign soldiers hired to serve as royal bodyguards.
- 11.14 singers: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “commanders.”
- 11.19 the king's special bodyguards: See the note at verse 4.
- 12.1 Joash: The Hebrew text has “Jehoash,” another spelling of the name.
- 12.3 local shrines: The Hebrew text has “high places,” which were local places to worship God or foreign gods.
- 12.20,21 Jozabad: Some manuscripts of the Hebrew text; other manuscripts “Jozacar.”
- 12.20,21 where … Jerusalem: The Hebrew text has “on the Millo,” which probably refers to a landfill to strengthen and extend the hill where the city was built.
- 12.20,21 Jerusalem: See the note at 8.24.
2 Kings 10-12
New International Version
2 Kings 10-12
New International Version
Ahab’s Family Killed
10 Now there were in Samaria(A) seventy sons(B) of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel,[a](C) to the elders and to the guardians(D) of Ahab’s children. He said, 2 “You have your master’s sons with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons. Now as soon as this letter reaches you, 3 choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s house.”
4 But they were terrified and said, “If two kings could not resist him, how can we?”
5 So the palace administrator, the city governor, the elders and the guardians sent this message to Jehu: “We are your servants(E) and we will do anything you say. We will not appoint anyone as king; you do whatever you think best.”
6 Then Jehu wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”
Now the royal princes, seventy of them, were with the leading men of the city, who were rearing them. 7 When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy(F) of them. They put their heads(G) in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. 8 When the messenger arrived, he told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the princes.”
Then Jehu ordered, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”
9 The next morning Jehu went out. He stood before all the people and said, “You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? 10 Know, then, that not a word the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The Lord has done what he announced(H) through his servant Elijah.”(I) 11 So Jehu(J) killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his chief men, his close friends and his priests, leaving him no survivor.(K)
12 Jehu then set out and went toward Samaria. At Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 13 he met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and asked, “Who are you?”
They said, “We are relatives of Ahaziah,(L) and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.(M)”
14 “Take them alive!” he ordered. So they took them alive and slaughtered them by the well of Beth Eked—forty-two of them. He left no survivor.(N)
15 After he left there, he came upon Jehonadab(O) son of Rekab,(P) who was on his way to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Are you in accord with me, as I am with you?”
“I am,” Jehonadab answered.
“If so,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.”(Q) So he did, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot. 16 Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal(R) for the Lord.” Then he had him ride along in his chariot.
17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all who were left there of Ahab’s family;(S) he destroyed them, according to the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah.
Servants of Baal Killed
18 Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served(T) Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now summon(U) all the prophets of Baal, all his servants and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.
20 Jehu said, “Call an assembly(V) in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21 Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. 22 And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, “Bring robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.
23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Look around and see that no one who serves the Lord is here with you—only servants of Baal.” 24 So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: “If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life.”(W)
25 As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: “Go in and kill(X) them; let no one escape.”(Y) So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. 26 They brought the sacred stone(Z) out of the temple of Baal and burned it. 27 They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple(AA) of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.
28 So Jehu(AB) destroyed Baal worship in Israel. 29 However, he did not turn away from the sins(AC) of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves(AD) at Bethel(AE) and Dan.
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”(AF) 31 Yet Jehu was not careful(AG) to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins(AH) of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.
32 In those days the Lord began to reduce(AI) the size of Israel. Hazael(AJ) overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory 33 east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer(AK) by the Arnon(AL) Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.
34 As for the other events of Jehu’s reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals(AM) of the kings of Israel?
35 Jehu rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. 36 The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
Athaliah and Joash(AN)
11 When Athaliah(AO) the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram[b] and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash(AP) son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.(AQ) 3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites(AR) and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. 5 He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath(AS)—a third of you guarding the royal palace,(AT) 6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— 7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[c] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
9 The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields(AU) that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. 11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant(AV) and proclaimed him king. They anointed(AW) him, and the people clapped their hands(AX) and shouted, “Long live the king!”(AY)
13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. 14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar,(AZ) as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.(BA) Then Athaliah tore(BB) her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”(BC)
15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks[d] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple(BD) of the Lord.” 16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter(BE) the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.(BF)
17 Jehoiada then made a covenant(BG) between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.(BH) 18 All the people of the land went to the temple(BI) of Baal and tore it down. They smashed(BJ) the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest(BK) of Baal in front of the altars.
Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. 19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites,(BL) the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced,(BM) and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.
21 Joash[e] was seven years old when he began to reign.[f]
Joash Repairs the Temple(BN)
12 [g]In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash[h](BO) became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was right(BP) in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 The high places,(BQ) however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
4 Joash said to the priests, “Collect(BR) all the money that is brought as sacred offerings(BS) to the temple of the Lord—the money collected in the census,(BT) the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily(BU) to the temple. 5 Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair(BV) whatever damage is found in the temple.”
6 But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. 7 Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.” 8 The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance(BW) put into the chest all the money(BX) that was brought to the temple of the Lord. 10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary(BY) and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. 11 When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders, 12 the masons and stonecutters.(BZ) They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold(CA) or silver for the temple of the Lord; 14 it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. 15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.(CB) 16 The money from the guilt offerings(CC) and sin offerings[i](CD) was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged(CE) to the priests.
17 About this time Hazael(CF) king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18 But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent(CG) them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew(CH) from Jerusalem.
19 As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20 His officials(CI) conspired against him and assassinated(CJ) him at Beth Millo,(CK) on the road down to Silla. 21 The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 10:1 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate of the city
- 2 Kings 11:2 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram
- 2 Kings 11:8 Or approaches the precincts
- 2 Kings 11:15 Or out from the precincts
- 2 Kings 11:21 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash
- 2 Kings 11:21 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:21) is numbered 12:1.
- 2 Kings 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-21 is numbered 12:2-22.
- 2 Kings 12:1 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash; also in verses 2, 4, 6, 7 and 18
- 2 Kings 12:16 Or purification offerings
John 1:29-51
Contemporary English Version
John 1:29-51
Contemporary English Version
The Lamb of God
29 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said:
Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I told you about when I said, “Someone else will come, who is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.” 31 I didn't know who he was. But I came to baptize you with water, so that everyone in Israel would see him.
32 I was there and saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven. And the Spirit stayed on him. 33 Before this I didn't know who he was. But the one who sent me to baptize with water had told me, “You will see the Spirit come down and stay on someone. Then you will know that he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” 34 I saw this happen, and I tell you that he is the Son of God.
The First Disciples of Jesus
35 The next day, John was there again, and two of his followers were with him. 36 When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Here is the Lamb of God!” 37 John's two followers heard him, and they went with Jesus.
38 When Jesus turned and saw them, he asked, “What do you want?”
They answered, “Rabbi, where do you live?” The Hebrew word “Rabbi” means “Teacher.”
39 Jesus replied, “Come and see!” It was already about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him and saw where he lived. So they stayed on for the rest of the day.
40 One of the two men who had heard John and had gone with Jesus was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and tell him, “We have found the Messiah!” The Hebrew word “Messiah” means the same as the Greek word “Christ.”
42 Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, he said, “Simon son of John, you will be called Cephas.” This name can be translated as “Peter.”[a]
Jesus Chooses Philip and Nathanael
43-44 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. There he met Philip, who was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Jesus said to Philip, “Follow me.”
45 Philip then found Nathanael and said, “We have found the one that Moses and the Prophets[b] wrote about. He is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”
46 Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Philip answered, “Come and see.”
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, “Here is a true descendant of our ancestor Israel. And he isn't deceitful.”[c]
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
49 Nathanael said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God and the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus answered, “Did you believe me just because I said that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see something even greater. 51 (A) I tell you for certain you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man.”[d]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1.42 Peter: The Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” each mean “rock.”
- 1.45 Moses and the Prophets: The Jewish Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament.
- 1.47 Israel … isn't deceitful: Israel (meaning “a man who wrestled with God” or “a prince of God”) was the name that the Lord gave to Jacob (meaning “cheater” or “deceiver”), the famous ancestor of the Jewish people.
- 1.51 going up and coming down on the Son of Man: When Jacob (see the note at 1.47) was running from his brother Esau, he had a dream in which he saw angels going up and down on a ladder from earth to heaven (see Genesis 28.10-22).
John 1:29-51
New International Version
John 1:29-51
New International Version
John Testifies About Jesus
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,(A) who takes away the sin of the world!(B) 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’(C) 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.(D) 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water(E) told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’(F) 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”[a](G)
John’s Disciples Follow Jesus(H)
35 The next day John(I) was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”(J)
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi”(K) (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).(L) 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called(M) Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[b]).(N)
Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,(O) he said to him, “Follow me.”(P)
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.(Q) 45 Philip found Nathanael(R) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,(S) and about whom the prophets also wrote(T)—Jesus of Nazareth,(U) the son of Joseph.”(V)
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(W) Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite(X) in whom there is no deceit.”(Y)
48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,(Z) you are the Son of God;(AA) you are the king of Israel.”(AB)
50 Jesus said, “You believe[c] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[d] you[e] will see ‘heaven open,(AC) and the angels of God ascending and descending(AD) on’[f] the Son of Man.”(AE)
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