Old/New Testament
21 Then Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king in his place. 2 Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael and Shephatiah. They were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 3 Jehoshaphat gave his sons many gifts of silver, gold and valuable things. He also gave them strong, walled cities in Judah. But Jehoshaphat gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the first son.
Jehoram King of Judah
4 Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom. Then he killed all his brothers with a sword. He also killed some of the leaders of Israel. 5 He was 32 years old when he began to rule. And he ruled eight years in Jerusalem. 6 He lived as the kings of Israel had lived. He lived as Ahab’s family had lived. This was because he married Ahab’s daughter. Jehoram did what the Lord said was wrong. 7 But the Lord would not destroy David’s family. This was because of the agreement he had made with David. The Lord had promised that one of David’s descendants would always rule.
8 While Jehoram was king, Edom turned against Judah’s rule. The people of Edom chose their own king. 9 So Jehoram went to Edom with all his commanders and chariots. The Edomite army surrounded Jehoram and his chariot commanders. But Jehoram fought his way out at night. 10 From then until now the country of Edom has fought against Judah.
At the same time the people of Libnah also turned against Jehoram. This happened because Jehoram left the Lord, the God his ancestors followed. 11 Jehoram also had built places to worship false gods on the hills in Judah. He had led the people of Jerusalem into sinning. And he had led the people of Judah away from the Lord. 12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet. The letter said:
This is what the Lord says. He is the God your father David followed. The Lord says, “Jehoram, you have not lived as your father Jehoshaphat lived. You have not lived as Asa king of Judah lived. 13 But you have lived as the kings of Israel lived. You have led the people of Judah and Jerusalem into sinning against God. That is what Ahab and his family did. You have killed your brothers. And they were better than you. 14 So now the Lord is about to punish your people terribly. He will punish your children, wives and everything you own. 15 You will have a terrible disease in your intestines. It will become worse every day. Finally it will cause your intestines to come out.”
16 The Lord caused the Philistines and the Arabs to be angry with Jehoram. They lived near the Cushites. 17 So the Philistines and Arabs attacked Judah. They took away all the wealth of Jehoram’s palace, as well as his sons and wives. Only Jehoram’s youngest son, Ahaziah, was left.
18 After these things happened, the Lord gave Jehoram a disease in his intestines. It could not be cured. 19 After he was sick for two years, Jehoram’s intestines fell out because of the disease. He died in terrible pain. The people did not make a large fire to honor Jehoram as they had done for his ancestors.
20 Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. And he ruled eight years in Jerusalem. No one was sad when he died. He was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the graves for the kings.
Ahaziah King of Judah
22 The people of Jerusalem chose Ahaziah to be king in Jehoram’s place. Ahaziah was Jehoram’s youngest son. The robbers who had come with the Arabs to attack Jehoram’s camp had killed all of Jehoram’s older sons. So Ahaziah began to rule Judah. 2 He was 22 years old when he began to rule. And he ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. 3 Ahaziah also lived as Ahab’s family had lived. This was because his mother encouraged him to do wrong things. 4 Ahaziah did what the Lord said was wrong. That is what Ahab’s family had done. And they gave advice to Ahaziah after his father died. Their bad advice led to his death. 5 Ahaziah followed their advice when he went to fight King Hazael of Aram. King Joram of Israel, Ahab’s son, went with him. They met Hazael at the town of Ramoth in Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram in battle. 6 So Joram returned to the town of Jezreel to get well. He was wounded at Ramoth when he fought Hazael king of Aram.
Then King Ahaziah of Judah, son of Jehoram, went to Jezreel. He went there to visit Joram son of Ahab because he was wounded.
7 God caused Ahaziah’s death when he went to visit Joram. Ahaziah arrived and went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi. The Lord had appointed Jehu to destroy Ahab’s family. 8 While Jehu was punishing Ahab’s family, he found the leaders of Judah. He also found Ahaziah’s relatives who served Ahaziah. Jehu killed them all. 9 Then Jehu looked for Ahaziah. Jehu’s men caught him hiding in Samaria. So they brought him to Jehu. Then they killed and buried him. They said, “Ahaziah is a descendant of Jehoshaphat. And Jehoshaphat obeyed the Lord with all his heart.” No one in Ahaziah’s family had the power to take control of the kingdom of Judah.
Athaliah Queen of Judah
10 Now Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, saw that her son was dead. Then she killed all the royal family in Judah. 11 But Jehosheba took Joash, Ahaziah’s son. She stole him from among the other sons of the king. Those sons were going to be murdered. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. Jehosheba was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister. She was also the wife of Jehoiada the priest. She hid Joash so Athaliah could not kill him. 12 Joash was hidden with them in the Temple of God for six years. During that time Athaliah ruled the land.
Jesus Comforts His Followers
14 Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. And trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you to be with me so that you may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”[a]
5 Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. So how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way. And I am the truth and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. 7 If you really knew me, then you would know my Father, too. But now you do know him, and you have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”
9 Jesus answered, “I have been with you a long time now. Do you still not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you don’t come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done. 12 I tell you the truth. He who believes in me will do the same things that I do. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. 13 And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you. Then the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, you will do the things I command. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper.[b] He will give you this Helper to be with you forever. 17 The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you and he will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you all alone like orphans. I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live, too. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me and I am in you. 21 He who knows my commands and obeys them is the one who loves me. And my Father will love him who loves me. I will love him and will show myself to him.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you plan to show yourself to us, but not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, then he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not obey my teaching. This teaching that you hear is not really mine. It is from my Father, who sent me.
25 “I have told you all these things while I am with you. 26 But the Helper will teach you everything. He will cause you to remember all the things I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name.
27 “I leave you peace. My peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled. Don’t be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going, but I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you should be happy that I am going back to the Father because he is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe. 30 I will not talk with you much longer. The ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me. 31 But the world must know that I love the Father. So I do exactly what the Father told me to do.
“Come now, let us go.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.