Old/New Testament

Jehoram Rules in Judah

21 Jehoshaphat died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king in his place. ² Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. ³ Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold, and things of much worth. He gave them strong cities in Judah. But he made Jehoram king, because he was the first-born.

⁴ Now when Jehoram had become king in the place of his father, and had made himself strong, he killed all his brothers with the sword. He killed some of the leaders of Israel also. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶ He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab’s house did. (For Ahab’s daughter was his wife.) He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. ⁷ Yet the Lord would not destroy the family of David, because of the agreement He had made with David. He had promised to give a light to him and his sons forever.

⁸ In the days of Jehoram, Edom turned against the rule of Judah, and set up a king of their own. ⁹ Then Jehoram crossed over with his captains and all his war-wagons. He went during the night and destroyed the Edomites who had gathered around him and the captains of the war-wagons. ¹⁰ So Edom has been against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah turned against Jehoram’s rule at the same time, because he had left the Lord God of his fathers. ¹¹ And Jehoram made high places in the mountains of Judah. He caused the people of Jerusalem to give themselves over to sin. And he made Judah sin. ¹² Then a letter came to him from Elijah the man of God, saying, “The Lord God of your father David says, ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, and the ways of King Asa of Judah. ¹³ But you have walked in the way of the kings of Israel. You have caused Judah and the people of Israel to give themselves over to sin, as those of Ahab’s house did. And you have killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you. ¹⁴ So see, the Lord is going to send a bad disease upon your people, your sons, your wives, and all you have. ¹⁵ You yourself will suffer a bad sickness, a disease of your stomach. Your insides will come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”

¹⁶ Then the Lord made the Philistines and the Arabs who were near the Ethiopians angry against Jehoram. ¹⁷ They came and fought against Judah, and carried away all the things they found in the king’s house, together with his sons and his wives. No son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest. ¹⁸ After all this the Lord caused a sickness in Jehoram’s stomach, which could not be cured. ¹⁹ After that time, at the end of two years, his insides came out because of his sickness. And he died in much pain. His people made no fire for him like the fires made for his fathers. ²⁰ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. And no one felt bad when he died. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the graves of the kings.

Ahaziah Rules in Judah

22 The people of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place. For the army of men who came with the Arabs to the tents had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah, the son of King Jehoram of Judah, began to rule. ² He was twenty-two years old when he became king. And he ruled for one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, the grand-daughter of Omri. ³ Ahaziah walked in the ways of those of Ahab’s house. For his mother talked him into doing sinful things. ⁴ He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, as those of Ahab’s house had done. For after his father’s death, they talked with him about what to do, and so caused him to be destroyed. ⁵ He did what they told him to do. He went with Jehoram the son of King Ahab of Israel to fight a war against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. But the Syrians hurt Jehoram. ⁶ So he returned to Jezreel to be healed of the cuts he had received at Ramah, when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

⁷ But it was planned by God that Ahaziah would be destroyed by going to Jehoram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi. Jehu was the one the Lord had chosen to destroy the family of Ahab. ⁸ When Jehu was punishing the family of Ahab, he found the sons of kings of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers. They were helping Ahaziah. And Jehu killed them. ⁹ Then he looked for Ahaziah, and he was found hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu, and was put to death. Then they buried him, for they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who followed the Lord with all his heart.” So there was no one left of Ahaziah’s house who was able to rule the nation.

Athaliah Rules in Judah

¹⁰ When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she went and destroyed all the king’s children of the family of Judah. ¹¹ But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Ahaziah’s son Joash. She stole him from among the king’s sons who were being killed. And she put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the religious leader, and sister of Ahaziah, hid Joash from Athaliah, so she could not kill him.

¹² Joash was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah ruled over the land.

Jesus Comforts His Followers

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled. You have put your trust in God, put your trust in Me also. ² There are many rooms in My Father’s house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to make a place for you. ³ After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am. ⁴ You know where I am going and you know how to get there.”

⁵ Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way to get there?” ⁶ Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one can go to the Father except by Me. ⁷ If you had known Me, you would know My Father also. From now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

Jesus and His Father Are One

⁸ Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we ask.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time and you do not know Me yet? Whoever has seen Me, has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me? What I say to you, I do not say by My own power. The Father Who lives in Me does His work through Me.

¹¹ “Believe Me that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me. Or else believe Me because of the things I do. ¹² For sure, I tell you, whoever puts his trust in Me can do the things I am doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so the shining-greatness of the Father may be seen in the Son. ¹⁴ Yes, if you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus Promises to Give the Holy Spirit

¹⁵ “If you love Me, you will do what I say. ¹⁶ Then I will ask My Father and He will give you another Helper. He will be with you forever. ¹⁷ He is the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot receive Him. It does not see Him or know Him. You know Him because He lives with you and will be in you.

Jesus Tells of His Death

¹⁸ “I will not leave you without help as children without parents. I will come to you. ¹⁹ In a little while the world will see Me no more. You will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. ²⁰ When that day comes, you will know that I am in My Father. You will know that you are in Me. You will know that I am in you. ²¹ The one who loves Me is the one who has My teaching and obeys it. My Father will love whoever loves Me. I will love him and will show Myself to him.”

²² The other Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Why is it You are going to show Yourself to us followers and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus said, “The one who loves Me will obey My teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and live with him. ²⁴ The one who does not love Me does not obey My teaching. The teaching you are now hearing is not My teaching but it is from My Father Who sent Me.

²⁵ “I have told you these things while I am still with you. ²⁶ The Helper is the Holy Spirit. The Father will send Him in My place. He will teach you everything and help you remember everything I have told you.

Jesus Gives His Followers Peace

²⁷ “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give peace to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. ²⁸ You heard Me say that I am going away. But I am coming back to you. If you love Me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you this before it happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe.

³⁰ “I will not talk much more with you. The leader of this world is coming. He has no power over Me. ³¹ I am doing what the Father told Me to do so the world may know I love the Father. Come, let us be on our way.