Old/New Testament
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
17 Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became king of Judah in his place. Jehoshaphat ·made Judah strong so they could fight [strengthened himself] against Israel. 2 He put ·troops [garrisons] in all the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities of Judah, in the land of Judah, and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.
3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he ·lived as his ancestor David had lived when he first became king [followed the earlier example/ways of his ancestor/father David]. Jehoshaphat did not ·ask for help from [seek; consult] the Baal idols, 4 but ·from [sought; consulted] the God of his father. He ·obeyed [L walked in] God’s commands and did not ·live as the people of Israel lived [behave like Israel]. 5 The Lord ·made Jehoshaphat a strong king over Judah [secured/established the kingdom under his control/L hand]. All the people of Judah brought ·gifts [tribute] to Jehoshaphat, so he had much wealth and ·honor [esteem]. 6 ·He wanted very much to obey [L His heart was devoted/committed to the ways of] the Lord. He also removed the ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15] and the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] from Judah.
7 During the third year of his ·rule [reign], Jehoshaphat sent his ·officers [officials] to teach in the towns of Judah. These ·officers [officials] were Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah. 8 Jehoshaphat sent with them these Levites: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah. He also sent the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 ·These leaders, Levites, and priests [L They] taught the people in Judah. They took the ·Book [scroll] of the ·Teachings [instructions; laws] of the Lord and went through all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
10 The ·nations near Judah were afraid of the Lord [L fear/dread of the Lord was on/seized the surrounding kingdoms], so they did not start a war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some of the Philistines brought ·gifts [tribute] and silver to Jehoshaphat. Some Arabs brought him flocks: seventy-seven hundred sheep and seventy-seven hundred goats.
12 Jehoshaphat grew more and more powerful. He built ·strong, walled cities [fortresses] and ·towns for storing supplies [storage cities] in Judah. 13 He kept many supplies in the towns of Judah, and he kept ·trained soldiers [skilled warriors] in Jerusalem. 14 These soldiers were ·listed [enrolled; divided] by ·families [clans]. From the ·families [clans] of Judah, these were the ·commanders [officers] of groups of a thousand men: Adnah was the commander of three hundred thousand skilled soldiers; 15 Jehohanan was the commander of two hundred eighty thousand skilled soldiers; 16 Amasiah was the commander of two hundred thousand skilled soldiers. Amasiah son of Zicri had volunteered to serve the Lord.
17 These were the ·commanders [officers] from the ·families [clans] of Benjamin: Eliada, a brave soldier, had two hundred thousand soldiers ·who used [armed/equipped with] bows and shields. 18 And Jehozabad had one hundred eighty thousand men ·armed [equipped] for war.
19 All these soldiers served King Jehoshaphat. The king also put other men in the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities through all of Judah.
Micaiah Warns King Ahab(A)
18 Jehoshaphat had much wealth and ·honor [esteem], and he made an ·agreement [alliance] with King Ahab through marriage [C his son married Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter; 21:6]. 2 A few years later Jehoshaphat went to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab ·sacrificed [slaughtered] many sheep and ·cattle [oxen] ·as a great feast to honor Jehoshaphat [L for him] and the ·people [officials] with him. He ·encouraged [enticed; persuaded; induced] Jehoshaphat to attack Ramoth in Gilead. 3 Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth in Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat answered, “I ·will go [L am one] with you, and my ·soldiers [people] are ·yours [your people]. We will join you in the battle.” 4 Jehoshaphat also said to Ahab, “But first we should ·ask if this is the Lord’s will [L seek/inquire about the word/counsel of the Lord].”
5 So ·King Ahab [L the king of Israel] ·called [assembled; summoned] four hundred prophets together and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or ·not [hold back]?”
They answered, “Go, because God will hand them over to you.”
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there still a prophet of the Lord here? Let’s ·ask [inquire of] him.”
7 Then King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “There is one other prophet. We could ·ask [inquire of] the Lord through him, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me, but always ·something bad [evil; disaster]. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
Jehoshaphat said, “King Ahab, you shouldn’t say ·that [such things]!”
8 So Ahab king of Israel told one of his ·officers [officials] to bring Micaiah to him at once.
9 Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah ·had on [were arrayed/dressed in] their royal robes and were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor, near the entrance to the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were ·standing before them speaking their messages [prophesying before them]. 10 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made some iron horns. He said to Ahab, “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘You will use these horns to ·fight [gore] the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
11 All the other prophets ·said [prophesied] the same thing, “Attack Ramoth in Gilead and ·win [triumph; be victorious], because the Lord will hand the Arameans over to you.”
12 The messenger who had gone to ·get [summon] Micaiah said to him, “All the other prophets are ·saying King Ahab will win [speaking favorably with one voice for the king]. ·You should agree with them and give the king a good answer [L Let your word be like theirs and speak favorably].”
13 But Micaiah answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, I ·can tell him [will speak] only what my God says.”
14 When Micaiah came to Ahab, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth in Gilead or ·not [hold back]?”
Micaiah answered, “Attack and win! They will be handed over to you [C He was keeping his vow to speak what God said because this lie was what God wanted him to say to Ahab].”
15 But Ahab said to Micaiah, “How many times ·do I have to tell you [must I make you swear] to speak only the truth to me in the name of the Lord?” [C Micaiah’s tone was likely sarcastic.]
16 So Micaiah answered, “I saw ·the army of [L all] Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘They have no ·leaders [master; C implying that their king had been killed]. They should go home ·and not fight [L in peace].’”
17 Then Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “·I told [L Didn’t I tell…?] you! He never prophesies anything good about me, but only ·bad [evil; disaster].”
18 But Micaiah said, “Hear the ·message from [L word of] the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with ·his heavenly army standing [L all the host of heaven] on his right and on his left. 19 The Lord said, ‘Who will ·trick [entice; deceive] King Ahab of Israel into attacking Ramoth in Gilead where he will ·be killed [L fall]?’
“Some ·said [suggested] one thing; some ·said [suggested] another. 20 Then one spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will ·trick [entice; deceive] him.’
“The Lord asked, ‘How will you do it?’
21 “The spirit answered, ‘I will go ·to Ahab’s prophets and make them tell lies [L and be a lying/deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets].’
“So the Lord said, ‘You will succeed in ·tricking [enticing; deceiving] him. Go and do it.’”
22 Micaiah said, “Ahab, the Lord has ·made your prophets lie to you [L put a lying/deceiving spirit in the mouths of your prophets], and the Lord has ·decided that disaster should come to you [pronounced your doom].”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up to Micaiah and slapped him ·in the face [L on the cheek]. Zedekiah said, “·Has [How is it that] the Lord’s Spirit left me to speak through you?”
24 Micaiah answered, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an ·inside [secret] room [C when the predicted disaster would strike].”
25 Then Ahab king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and ·send [return] him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son. 26 Tell them I said to put this man in prison and give him only bread and water until I return ·safely [L in peace] from the battle.”
27 Micaiah said, “Ahab, if you come back safely from the battle, the Lord has not spoken through me. ·Remember my words [L Listen], all you people!”
Ahab Is Killed
28 So Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah ·went to [attacked] Ramoth in Gilead. 29 King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will go into battle, but I will ·wear other clothes so no one will recognize me [disguise myself]. But you wear your royal ·clothes [robes].” So Ahab ·wore other clothes [disguised himself], and they went into battle.
30 The king of Aram ordered his chariot ·commanders [officers], “Don’t fight with anyone—·important [great] or ·unimportant [small]—·except [but only with] the king of Israel.” 31 When these ·commanders [officers] saw Jehoshaphat, they ·thought he was [said, “There is…”] the king of Israel, so they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat ·began shouting [cried/called out; C either for help or with his war cry], and the Lord ·helped [saved] him. God ·turned [drew; lured; diverted] the chariot ·commanders [officers] away from Jehoshaphat. 32 When they saw he was not King Ahab of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
33 ·By chance [Randomly; L In innocence], a soldier shot an arrow which hit Ahab king of Israel between the ·pieces [joints; plates] of his armor. King Ahab said to his chariot driver, “Turn around and get me out of the battle, because I am ·hurt [badly wounded]!” 34 The battle ·continued [raged] all day. King Ahab ·held [propped] himself up in his chariot and faced the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.
Jesus Washes His Followers’ Feet
13 ·It was almost time for [L Now before…,] the Passover Feast [12:12]. Jesus knew that it was ·time [L the hour] for him to ·leave [depart from] this world and go back to the Father. He had always loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them ·all the way to the end [or completely; totally].
2 ·Jesus and his followers were at the evening meal [L It was dinnertime]. The devil had already ·persuaded [L put it into the heart of] Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to ·turn against [betray] Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had ·given him power over everything [L placed everything into his hands] and that he had come from God and was going back to God. 4 So ·during the meal [L from supper] Jesus stood up and took off his outer clothing. Taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a bowl and began to wash the ·followers’ [disciples’] feet, ·drying [wiping] them with the towel that was wrapped around him. [C This act was considered so demeaning by some people that they only allowed Gentile slaves to do it.]
6 Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”
8 Peter said, “No, you will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “If I don’t wash your feet, you ·are not one of my people [L have no share/part with me].”
9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but wash my hands and my head, too!”
10 Jesus said to him, “After a person has ·had a bath [washed; bathed], his whole body is clean. He needs only to wash his feet. And you men are clean, but not all of you.” 11 [L For] Jesus knew who would ·turn against [betray] him, and that is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and ·sat down [L reclined; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party] again. He asked, “Do you understand what I have just done ·for [to] you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’ [C titles appropriately ascribed to an esteemed Rabbi, but which took on deeper meaning after his death and resurrection], and you are right, because that is what I am. 14 If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. 15 I did this as ·an example [a pattern] so that you should do as I have done for you. 16 ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly, I say to you], a ·servant [slave; bond-servant] is not greater than his ·master [lord]. [L And] A messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
18 “I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this is to ·bring about what the Scripture said [L fulfill the Scripture]: ·‘The man who ate at my table has turned against me.’ [L ‘The one who ate bread with me lifted his heel against me’; Ps. 41:9; C eating with someone showed an intimate relationship, and lifting one’s heel was an act of betrayal.] 19 I am telling you this now before it happens so that when it happens, you will believe that ·I am he [L I am; C this may be an allusion to God’s (Yahweh’s) self identification as “I AM” in Ex. 3:14, or to God’s repeated claim that “I am he” throughout Is. 40—55; see John 8:24, 28, 58]. 20 ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly, I say to you], whoever ·accepts [receives] anyone I send also ·accepts [receives] me. And whoever ·accepts [receives] me also ·accepts [receives] the One who sent me [Matt. 10:40].”
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