Saturday, 19 October

38.   And Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, "Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets." 39.   So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were . 40.   Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, "Man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it . 41.   So he said, "Then bring some flour." And he put it into the pot, and said, "Serve it to the people, that they may eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot. 42.   Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, "Give it to the people, that they may eat." 43.   But his servant said, "What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?" He said again, "Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’" 44.   So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

1.   Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2.   And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3.   Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." 4.   And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, "Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel." 5.   Then the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6.   Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7.   And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, " Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me." 8.   So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." 9.   Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10.   And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." 11.   But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me , and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12.   " Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. 13.   And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it ? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?" 14.   So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15.   And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant." 16.   But he said, " As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing." And he urged him to take it , but he refused. 17.   So Naaman said, "Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule–loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18.   "Yet in this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon––when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD please pardon your servant in this thing." 19.   Then he said to him, "Go in peace." So he departed from him a short distance. 20.   But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him." 21.   So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, " Is all well?" 22.   And he said, "All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’" 23.   So Naaman said, "Please, take two talents." And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him. 24.   When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25.   Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, "Where did you go , Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant did not go anywhere." 26.   Then he said to him, "Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? 27.   "Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever." And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.

1.   The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2.   "Now, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre, 3.   "and say to Tyre, ‘You who are situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD: "O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ 4.   Your borders are in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty. 5.   They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; They took a cedar from Lebanon to make you a mast. 6.   Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; The company of Ashurites have inlaid your planks With ivory from the coasts of Cyprus. 7.   Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail; Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was what covered you. 8.   "Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; They became your pilots. 9.   Elders of Gebal and its wise men Were in you to caulk your seams; All the ships of the sea And their oarsmen were in you To market your merchandise. 10.   "Those from Persia, Lydia, and Libya Were in your army as men of war; They hung shield and helmet in you; They gave splendor to you. 11.   Men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, And the men of Gammad were in your towers; They hung their shields on your walls all around; They made your beauty perfect. 12.   "Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. 13.   "Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. 14.   "Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, steeds, and mules. 15.   "The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment. 16.   "Syria was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made. They gave you for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidery, fine linen, corals, and rubies. 17.   "Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm. 18.   "Damascus was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made, because of your many luxury items, with the wine of Helbon and with white wool. 19.   "Dan and Javan paid for your wares, traversing back and forth. Wrought iron, cassia, and cane were among your merchandise. 20.   "Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. 21.   "Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your regular merchants. They traded with you in lambs, rams, and goats. 22.   "The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold. 23.   "Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Assyria, and Chilmad were your merchants. 24.   "These were your merchants in choice items––in purple clothes, in embroidered garments, in chests of multicolored apparel, in sturdy woven cords, which were in your marketplace. 25.   "The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise. You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas. 26.   Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas. 27.   "Your riches, wares, and merchandise, Your mariners and pilots, Your caulkers and merchandisers, All your men of war who are in you, And the entire company which is in your midst, Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin. 28.   The common–land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots. 29.   "All who handle the oar, The mariners, All the pilots of the sea Will come down from their ships and stand on the shore. 30.   They will make their voice heard because of you; They will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads; They will roll about in ashes; 31.   They will shave themselves completely bald because of you, Gird themselves with sackcloth, And weep for you With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. 32.   In their wailing for you They will take up a lamentation, And lament for you: ‘What city is like Tyre, Destroyed in the midst of the sea? 33.   ‘When your wares went out by sea, You satisfied many people; You enriched the kings of the earth With your many luxury goods and your merchandise. 34.   But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters; Your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst. 35.   All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you; Their kings will be greatly afraid, And their countenance will be troubled. 36.   The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you; You will become a horror, and be no more forever.’"’"

1.   Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2.   elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 3.   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4.   to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5.   who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6.   In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7.   that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8.   whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him , yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9.   receiving the end of your faith––the salvation of your souls. 10.   Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11.   searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12.   To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven––things which angels desire to look into. 13.   Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14.   as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15.   but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16.   because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 17.   And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18.   knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19.   but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20.   He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21.   who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22.   Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23.   having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24.   because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25.   But the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.