A Letter to the Exiles

29 This is the text of the letter^(A) that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.^(B)

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.^(A) He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.^[a](B)

² Now bands of raiders^(C) from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet^(D) who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter,^(A) he tore his robes and said, “Am I God?^(B) Can I kill and bring back to life?^(C) Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel^(D) with me!”

⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet^(E) in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash^(F) yourself seven times^(G) in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand^(H) over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters^(I) of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.^(J)

¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father,^(K) if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,^(L) as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored^(M) and became clean like that of a young boy.^(N)

¹⁵ Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God^(O). He stood before him and said, “Now I know^(P) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift^(Q) from your servant.”

Psalm 111^[a]

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,^(A) descended from David.^(B) This is my gospel,^{(C) 9} for which I am suffering^(D) even to the point of being chained^(E) like a criminal. But God’s word^(F) is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything^(G) for the sake of the elect,^(H) that they too may obtain the salvation^(I) that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^(J)

¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying:^(K)

Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴ Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;^(P) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.^(Q)

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem,^(A) Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.^{(B) 12} As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a](C) met him. They stood at a distance^{(D) 13} and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master,^(E) have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”^(F) And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God^(G) in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.^(H)

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”^(I)