Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Elisha Heals Naaman
5 Naaman, the commander of the Aramean king’s army, was respected and highly honored by his master. Yahweh had given Aram a victory through Naaman. This man was a good soldier, but he had a skin disease.
2 Once, when the Arameans went on raids, they had brought back a little girl from Israel. She became the servant of Naaman’s wife. 3 The girl told her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet in Samaria. Then the prophet could cure him of his skin disease.”
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
5 The king of Aram said, “You may go. I will also send a letter to the king of Israel.” When Naaman left, he took 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 sets of clothing with him. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It read, “I’m sending my officer Naaman with this letter. Cure him of his skin disease.”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in distress. He asked, “Am I Elohim? Can I kill someone and then bring him back to life? This man sends someone to me so that I can cure his skin disease! All of you should realize and understand that he’s trying to pick a fight with me.”
8 But when Elisha, the man of Elohim, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a messenger to the king. He asked, “Why did you tear your clothes? Please let Naaman come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 Naaman came with his horses and chariot and stopped at the entrance to Elisha’s home. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him. He said, “Wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River, and your skin will be healthy and clean.”[a]
11 But Naaman became angry and left. He said, “I thought he would at least come out of his house, stand somewhere, call on the name of Yahweh his Elohim, wave his hand over the infected place, and heal the skin disease. 12 The Abana and Pharpar Rivers in Damascus have better water than any of the rivers in Israel. Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned around and left in anger.
13 But Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “Master, if the prophet had asked you to do some extraordinary act, wouldn’t you have done it? Why shouldn’t you do as he said: ‘Wash and be clean’?”
14 So he went to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times, as the man of Elohim had instructed him. His skin became healthy again like a little child’s skin.
Psalm 30
A psalm by David sung at the dedication of the temple.
1 I will honor you highly, O Yahweh,
because you have pulled me out of the pit
and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
2 O Yahweh my Elohim,
I cried out to you for help,
and you healed me.
3 O Yahweh, you brought me up from the grave.
You called me back to life
from among those who had gone into the pit.
4 Make music to praise Yahweh, you faithful people who belong to him.
Remember his holiness by giving thanks.
5 His anger lasts only a moment.
His favor lasts a lifetime.
Weeping may last for the night,
but there is a song of joy in the morning.
6 When all was well with me, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7 O Yahweh, by your favor you have made my mountain stand firm.
When you hid your face, I was terrified.
8 I will cry out to you, O Yahweh.
I will plead to Adonay for mercy:
9 “How will you profit if my blood is shed,
if I go into the pit?
Will the dust of my body give thanks to you?
Will it tell about your truth?”
10 Hear, O Yahweh, and have pity on me!
O Yahweh, be my helper!
11 You have changed my sobbing into dancing.
You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy
12 so that my soul[a] may praise you with music and not be silent.
O Yahweh my Elohim, I will give thanks to you forever.
24 Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win. 25 Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. 26 So I run—but not without a clear goal ahead of me. So I box—but not as if I were just shadow boxing. 27 Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others.
Jesus Cures a Man with a Skin Disease(A)
40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to him. The man fell to his knees and begged Yeshua, “If you’re willing, you can make me clean.”[a]
41 Yeshua felt sorry for him, reached out, touched him, and said, “I’m willing. So be clean!”
42 Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean.
43 Yeshua sent him away at once and warned him, 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifices which Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”
45 When the man left, he began to talk freely. He spread his story so widely that Yeshua could no longer enter any city openly. Instead, he stayed in places where he could be alone. But people still kept coming to him from everywhere.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.