27. Tazria-Metzora

Parasha 27: Tazria-Metzora

Leviticus 12:1–15:33 (LEB)

Purification After Childbirth

12 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋, saying, ‘When a woman becomes pregnant and she gives birth to a male, then she shall be unclean seven days—as in the time of her menstrual bleeding, she shall become unclean. ³ And on the eighth day his foreskin’s flesh shall be circumcised. ⁴ And for thirty-three days she shall stay in the blood of her cleansing; she must not touch any holy object, and she may not come to the sanctuary until the fulfilling of the days of her cleansing. ⁵ But if she gives birth to a female, then she shall be unclean for two weeks as in her menstruation, and for sixty-six days she shall stay _⌊through_⌋ the blood of her cleansing. ⁶ And at the fulfilling of the days of her cleansing, whether for a son or for a daughter, she must bring to the priest at the tent of assembly’s entrance a _⌊yearling_⌋ male lamb as a burnt offering and _⌊young dove_⌋ or a turtledove as a sin offering. ⁷ And the priest shall present it _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh, and he shall make atonement for her, so that she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the regulation of childbearing for the male or for the female. ⁸ And if _⌊she cannot afford_⌋ a sheep, then she shall take two turtledoves or two _⌊young doves_⌋—one as a burnt offering and one as a sin offering—and the priest shall make atonement for her, so that she shall be clean.’ ”

Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases

13 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ² “When a _⌊person_⌋ has on his body’s skin a swelling or an epidermal eruption or a spot and it becomes an infectious skin disease on his body’s skin, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. ³ And the priest shall examine the infection on his body’s skin, and if the hair in the infection turns white and the appearance of the infection is deeper than his body’s skin, it is an infectious skin disease, and the priest shall examine it, and he shall declare him unclean. ⁴ But if a spot is white on his body’s skin and its appearance is not deeper than the skin and its hair does not turn white, then the priest shall confine the afflicted person for seven days. ⁵ And the priest shall examine it on the seventh day, and _⌊if_⌋, in his eyes, the infection has stayed unchanged, the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall confine him for seven days a second time. ⁶ And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day for a second time, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has faded and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall declare him clean—it is an epidermal eruption; and he shall wash his garments, and so he shall be clean. ⁷ But if the epidermal eruption spreads further on the skin after showing himself to the priest for his cleansing, then he shall appear a second time to the priest. ⁸ And the priest shall examine it, and _⌊if_⌋ the epidermal eruption has spread on the skin, then the priest shall declare him unclean—it is an infectious skin disease.

⁹ “When an infectious skin disease is on a person and he is brought to the priest, ¹⁰ the priest shall examine it, and _⌊if_⌋ a white swelling is on the skin and it turns the hair white and _⌊raw flesh_⌋ is in the swelling, ¹¹ it is a chronic infectious skin disease on his body’s skin, and the priest shall declare him unclean; he shall not confine him, because he is unclean. ¹² And if the infectious skin disease breaks out all over on the skin and the infectious skin disease covers all of the afflicted person’s skin from his head to his feet, _⌊so far as the priest can see_⌋, ¹³ then the priest shall examine it, and _⌊if_⌋ the infectious skin disease covers his whole body, then he shall pronounce the afflicted person clean—all of it has turned white; he is clean. ¹⁴ But _⌊whenever_{⌋ ⌊}raw flesh_⌋ appears on him, he shall become unclean. ¹⁵ And the priest shall examine the _⌊raw flesh_⌋, and he shall pronounce him unclean—the _⌊raw flesh_⌋ is unclean; it is an infectious skin disease. ¹⁶ Or, when the _⌊raw flesh_⌋ returns and it has changed to white, then he shall come to the priest, ¹⁷ and the priest shall examine him, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has changed to white, then the priest shall pronounce the afflicted person clean—he is clean.

¹⁸ “And when someone’s body _⌊has_⌋ a skin sore on his skin and it is healed ¹⁹ and a white swelling or a _⌊pinkish_⌋ spot appears in the skin sore’s place, then he shall show himself to the priest. ²⁰ And the priest shall examine it, and _⌊if_⌋ its appearance is deeper than the skin and its hair has changed to white, then the priest shall declare him unclean—it is an infectious skin disease; it has broken out in the skin sore. ²¹ And if the priest examines it and _⌊if_⌋ there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin and it is faded, then the priest shall confine him for seven days. ²² But if it has spread further on the skin, then the priest shall declare him unclean—it is an infection. ²³ But if the spot has stayed unchanged, it has not spread, it is the skin sore’s scar, so the priest shall declare him clean.

²⁴ “Or when a body _⌊has_⌋ a burn-spot _⌊from_⌋ fire on its skin and the _⌊raw flesh_⌋ of the burn-spot is _⌊pinkish_⌋ or white, ²⁵ then the priest shall examine it, and _⌊if_⌋ the hair turns white in the spot and its appearance is deeper than the skin, it is an infectious skin disease—it has broken out in the burn-spot; so the priest shall declare him unclean—it is an infectious skin disease. ²⁶ But if the priest examines it and _⌊if_⌋ there is not white hair in the spot and it is not deeper than the skin and it is faded, then the priest shall confine him for seven days. ²⁷ And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day; if it has spread further on the skin, then the priest shall declare him unclean—it is an infectious skin disease. ²⁸ But if it the spot has stayed unchanged in its place, it has not spread on the skin and it is faded, then it is the burn-spot’s swelling, so the priest shall declare him clean, because it is the burn-spot’s scar.

²⁹ “And when a man or a woman _⌊has_⌋ an infection on the head or in the beard, ³⁰ then the priest shall examine the infection, and _⌊if_⌋ its appearance is deeper than the skin and in it is thin bright red hair, then the priest shall declare it unclean—it is a diseased area of skin; it is an infectious skin disease of the head or the beard. ³¹ But if the priest examines the diseased area of the skin’s infection and _⌊if_⌋ its appearance is not deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall confine the afflicted person with the diseased area of skin for seven days. ³² And the priest shall examine the infection on the seventh day, and _⌊if_⌋ the diseased area of skin has not spread and it does not have bright red hair in it and the diseased area of the skin’s appearance is not deeper than the skin, ³³ then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the diseased area of skin, and the priest shall confine the person with the diseased area of skin a second time for seven days. ³⁴ And the priest shall examine the diseased area of skin on the seventh day, and _⌊if_⌋ the diseased area has not spread on the skin and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean, and he shall wash his garments, and he shall be clean. ³⁵ But if the diseased area of skin has not spread further on the skin after his cleansing, ³⁶ then the priest shall examine him, and _⌊if_⌋ the diseased area of skin has spread on the skin, the priest shall not inspect for bright red hair—he is unclean. ³⁷ But if, in his eyes, the diseased area of skin has stayed unchanged and black hair has grown in it, the diseased area of skin is healed—he is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

³⁸ “And when a man or a woman _⌊has_⌋ spots on their body’s skin, white spots, ³⁹ then the priest shall examine them, and _⌊if_⌋ the spots on their body’s skin are a faded white, it is a skin rash; it has broken out on the skin—it is clean.

⁴⁰ “And if a man becomes bald, his head is bald, he is clean. ⁴¹ And if he becomes bald _⌊from his forehead_⌋, his head is bald, he is clean. ⁴² But if a _⌊pinkish_⌋ infection occurs on the bald spot or on the bald forehead, it is an infectious skin disease that sprouts on his bald spot or on his bald forehead. ⁴³ So the priest shall examine him, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection’s swelling is _⌊pinkish_⌋ on his bald spot or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of an infectious skin disease on the body, ⁴⁴ he is a man afflicted with a skin disease—he is unclean; the priest certainly shall declare him unclean—his infection is on his head.

⁴⁵ “As for the person who is afflicted with a skin disease, his garments must be torn and his _⌊hair_⌋ must be allowed to hang loosely, and he must cover his upper lip, and he must call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶ For all the days during which the infection is on him, he shall be unclean; he must live alone; his dwelling must be _⌊outside the camp_⌋.”

Regulations About Contaminated Fabrics

⁴⁷ “And when the garment _⌊has_⌋ an infectious skin disease on it, on a wool garment or on a linen garment, ⁴⁸ or on woven material or on a linen fabric, or on wool or on leather or on any work of leather, ⁴⁹ and if the infection is yellowish green or reddish on the garment or on the leather or on the woven material or on the fabric or on any leather object, it is an infectious skin disease and it shall be shown to the priest. ⁵⁰ And the priest shall examine the infection, and he shall confine the infected article for seven days. ⁵¹ And he shall examine the infection on the seventh day; if the infection has spread on the garment or on the woven material or on the fabric or on the leather, for any work for which the leather is used, the infection is a destructive skin disease—it is unclean. ⁵² And he shall burn the garment or the woven material or the fabric, _⌊whether wool or linen_⌋, or any leather object that _⌊has_⌋ the infection, because it is an infectious skin disease, which is destructive—it must be burned in the fire.

⁵³ “But if the priest examines it and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has not spread on the garment or on the woven material or on the fabric or on any leather object, ⁵⁴ then the priest shall command, and _⌊someone_⌋ shall wash that on which the infection is, and he shall confine it a second time for seven days. ⁵⁵ And the priest shall examine it after the infection has been washed off, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has not changed its outward appearance and the infection has not spread, it is unclean; he must burn it in the fire; it is a fungus on its back or on its front. ⁵⁶ But if the priest examines it and _⌊if_⌋ the infection is faded after it has been washed off, then he shall tear it from the garment or from the leather or from the woven material or from the fabric. ⁵⁷ And if it appears again on the garment or on the woven material or on the fabric or on any leather object, it is spreading; you must burn in the fire that which has the infection in it. ⁵⁸ And the garment or the woven material or the fabric or any leather object that he might wash and the infection is removed from them then shall be washed a second time, and it shall be clean.”

⁵⁹ This is the regulation of the infectious skin disease in the wool garment or the linen or the woven material or the fabric or any leather object to declare it clean or to declare it unclean.

Instructions for Cleansing Infectious Skin Diseases

14 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ² “This is the regulation of the person afflicted with a skin disease _⌊at the time of_⌋ his cleansing. And he shall be brought to the priest, ³ and the priest shall go _⌊outside the camp_⌋, and the priest shall examine him, and _⌊if_⌋ the skin disease’s infection is healed on the afflicted person, ⁴ then the priest shall command, and he shall take two living, clean birds and _⌊cedar wood_⌋ and _⌊a crimson thread_⌋ and hyssop for the one who presents himself for cleansing. ⁵ Then the priest shall command someone to slaughter one bird over fresh water in a clay vessel. ⁶ He must take the living bird and the _⌊cedar wood_⌋ and _⌊the crimson thread_⌋ and the hyssop, and he shall dip them and the living bird in the bird’s blood slaughtered over the fresh water. ⁷ And he shall spatter the blood seven times on the one who presents himself for cleansing from the infectious skin disease, and he shall declare him clean, and he shall send the living bird _⌊into the open field_⌋. ⁸ Then the one who presents himself for cleansing shall wash his garments, and he shall shave off all his hair, and he shall wash himself in the water; thus he shall be clean, and afterward he shall enter the camp, but he shall stay _⌊outside his tent_⌋ for seven days. ⁹ _⌊And then_⌋ on the seventh day he must shave off all his hair—he must shave his head and his beard and _⌊his eyebrows_⌋ and all the rest of his hair—and he shall wash his garments, and he shall wash his body in the water; thus he shall be clean.

¹⁰ “And on the eighth day he must take two male lambs without defect and one ewe-lamb _⌊in its first year_⌋ without defect and three-tenths of an ephah of finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering and one log of oil. ¹¹ And the priest who cleanses him shall present the man who presents himself for cleansing and _⌊these things_{⌋ ⌊}before_⌋ Yahweh at the entrance of the tent of assembly. ¹² Then the priest shall take the one male lamb, and he shall present it as a guilt offering, and the log of oil, and he shall wave them as a wave offering _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ¹³ And he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place where he slaughters the sin offering and the burnt offering in the sanctuary’s space, because as the sin offering belongs to the priest, so also the guilt offering—_⌊it is a most holy thing_⌋. ¹⁴ And the priest shall take _⌊some of_⌋ the guilt offering’s blood, and the priest shall put it on the right ear’s lobe of the one who presents himself for cleansing and on his right hand’s thumb and on his right foot’s big toe. ¹⁵ And the priest shall take _⌊some of_⌋ the log of oil, and he shall pour it on his left palm; ¹⁶ and the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is on his left palm, and he shall spatter _⌊some of_⌋ the oil with his finger seven times _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ¹⁷ Then the priest shall put _⌊some of_⌋ the remaining oil, which is on his palm, on the right ear’s lobe of the one to be cleansed and on his right hand’s thumb and on his right foot’s big toe, on top of the guilt offering’s blood. ¹⁸ And the remaining oil that is on the priest’s palm he shall put on the head of the one who presents himself for cleansing, and the priest shall make atonement for him _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ¹⁹ Thus the priest shall _⌊sacrifice_⌋ the sin offering, and he shall make atonement for the one who presents himself for cleansing from his uncleanness, and afterward he shall slaughter the burnt offering. ²⁰ Then the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar, and the priest shall make atonement for him, and so he shall be clean.

²¹ “But if he is poor and _⌊he cannot afford_⌋ it, then he shall take one male lamb for a guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for himself and one-tenth of an ephah of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and a log of oil, ²² and two turtledoves or two _⌊young doves_⌋ that _⌊he can afford_⌋, and one shall be a sin offering and the _⌊other_⌋ a burnt offering. ²³ And he shall bring them to the priest at the tent of assembly’s entrance _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh on the eighth day for his cleansing. ²⁴ And the priest shall take the male lamb for the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh; ²⁵ and he shall slaughter the male lamb of the guilt offering, and the priest shall take _⌊some of_⌋ the guilt offering’s blood, and he shall put it on the right ear’s lobe of the one who presents himself for cleansing and on his right hand’s thumb and on his right foot’s big toe. ²⁶ Then the priest shall pour out _⌊some of_⌋ the oil on his own left palm, ²⁷ and with his right finger the priest shall spatter _⌊some of_⌋ the oil that is on his left palm seven times _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ²⁸ Then the priest shall put _⌊some of_⌋ the oil that is on his palm on the right ear’s lobe of the one who presents himself for cleansing and on his right hand’s thumb and on his right foot’s big toe on the place of the guilt offering’s blood. ²⁹ And the remaining oil that is on the priest’s palm he shall put on the head of the one who presents himself for cleansing to make atonement for him _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ³⁰ And he shall _⌊sacrifice_⌋ one of the turtledoves or the _⌊young doves_⌋ that _⌊he can afford_⌋, ³¹ even what _⌊he can afford_⌋, the one as a sin offering and the _⌊other_⌋ as a burnt offering in addition to the grain offering, and the priest shall make atonement for the one who presents himself for cleansing _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh. ³² This is the regulation of the one on whom is an infectious skin disease who _⌊cannot afford_⌋ the cost for his cleansing.”

Instructions for Cleansing Houses

³³ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ³⁴ “When you come into the land of Canaan, which I am about to give to you as your possession, and I put _⌊mildew_⌋ in a house in the land of your possession, ³⁵ then the one who _⌊owns the house_⌋ shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘It appears to me that an infection is in the house.’ ³⁶ And the priest shall issue a command, and they shall clear out the house before the priest comes to examine the infection, so that all that is in the house might not become unclean; and _⌊afterward_⌋ the priest shall go to examine the house. ³⁷ And he shall examine the infection, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection on the house’s wall has yellowish-green or reddish spots and its appearance is deeper than the surface of the wall, ³⁸ then the priest shall go out from the house to the house’s entrance, and he shall confine the house for seven days. ³⁹ And the priest shall return on the seventh day, and he shall examine the infection, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has spread on the house’s wall, ⁴⁰ the priest shall issue a command and they shall remove the stones on which is the infection, and they shall throw them _⌊outside the city_⌋ on an unclean place. ⁴¹ Then they shall scrape off the plaster from all around the house, and they shall pour out the plaster, which they scraped off, _⌊outside the city_⌋ on an unclean place. ⁴² And they shall take other stones, and they shall _⌊put_⌋ them in place of those stones, and they shall take other plaster, and they shall replaster the house.

⁴³ “But if the infection should return and it breaks out in the house after they have removed the stones and after scraping off the plaster of the house and after it has been replastered, ⁴⁴ then the priest shall come, and he shall examine the infection, and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has spread in the house, it is a destructive _⌊mildew_⌋ in the house—it is unclean. ⁴⁵ So he shall break down the house, its stones and its wood and all of the house’s plaster, and he shall bring it all _⌊outside the city_⌋ to an unclean place. ⁴⁶ And the person who enters into the house during all the days that he confined it shall become unclean until the evening. ⁴⁷ And the person who sleeps in the house must wash his garments, and the person who eats in the house shall wash his garments.

⁴⁸ “And if the priest comes again and examines the house and _⌊if_⌋ the infection has not spread in the house after being replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the infection is healed. ⁴⁹ And he shall take two birds and _⌊cedar wood_⌋ and a _⌊crimson thread_⌋ and hyssop to cleanse the house; ⁵⁰ and he shall slaughter the first bird over fresh water on a clay vessel. ⁵¹ Then he shall take the _⌊cedar wood_⌋ and the hyssop and _⌊the crimson thread_⌋ and the living bird, and he shall dip them in the slaughtered bird’s blood and in the fresh water, and he shall spatter them on the house seven times. ⁵² Thus he shall purify the house with the bird’s blood and with the fresh water and with the living bird and with the _⌊cedar wood_⌋ and with the hyssop and with _⌊the crimson thread_⌋. ⁵³ And he shall send the living bird _⌊outside the city_{⌋ ⌊}into the open field_⌋; and so he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.

⁵⁴ “This is the instruction for any infectious skin disease and for the diseased area of skin, ⁵⁵ and for a _⌊mildew_⌋ of the garment and for the house, ⁵⁶ and for the swelling and for the epidermal eruption and for the spot, ⁵⁷ to teach _⌊when something is unclean and when something is clean_⌋. This is the regulation of the infectious skin disease.”

Instructions About Bodily Discharges

15 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ² “Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋, and you shall say to them, ‘_⌊Any man_⌋ when a fluid discharge occurs from his body, his fluid discharge is unclean. ³ And this becomes his uncleanness in his fluid discharge: whether his body secretes his fluid discharge or his body blocks his fluid discharge, it is his uncleanness. ⁴ Any bed upon which the person who discharges lies down becomes unclean, and any object upon which he sits becomes unclean. ⁵ And anyone who touches his bed must wash his garments and shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until evening. ⁶ And the person who sits on the object upon which the person who discharges has sat must wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ⁷ And the person who touches the body of the person who discharges must wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ⁸ And if the person who discharges spits on one who is clean, then that one shall wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ⁹ And any saddle upon which the person who discharges rides becomes unclean. ¹⁰ And any person who touches anything that happened to be under him becomes unclean until the evening, and the person who carries them must wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ¹¹ And anyone whom the person who discharges might touch _⌊without_⌋ rinsing off his hands with water shall wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ¹² But a clay vessel that the person who discharges touches must be broken, and any _⌊wood object_⌋ must be rinsed with water.

¹³ “ ‘And when the person who discharges becomes clean from his body fluid discharge, he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing; then he shall wash his garments, and he shall wash his body with _⌊fresh_⌋ water, and he shall be clean. ¹⁴ Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself two turtledoves or two _⌊young doves_⌋, and he shall come _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh at the tent of assembly’s entrance, and he shall give them to the priest. ¹⁵ And the priest shall _⌊sacrifice_⌋ one as a sin offering and _⌊the other_⌋ as a burnt offering, and so the priest shall make atonement for him _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh from his body fluid discharge.

¹⁶ “ ‘And if an emission of semen goes out from anyone, then he shall wash all of his body with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ¹⁷ And any garment and anything leather on which is an emission of semen shall be washed with water, and it shall be unclean until the evening. ¹⁸ If there is a woman with whom a man lies down and there is an emission of semen, then they shall wash themselves with water, and they shall be unclean until the evening.

¹⁹ “ ‘And when a woman _⌊is menstruating_⌋, her body fluid discharge occurs in her body; for seven days she shall be in her menstruation, and any person who touches her shall become unclean until the evening. ²⁰ And anything upon which she lies down during her menstruation shall become unclean, and anything upon which she sits shall become unclean. ²¹ And any person who touches her bed must wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ²² And any person who touches any object on which she sat must wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening. ²³ And if it is on the bed or on the object on which she sits, at his touching it he becomes unclean until the evening. ²⁴ And if a man indeed lies with her and her menstruation occurs on him, then he shall be unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies down becomes unclean.

²⁵ “ ‘And when a woman discharges a body fluid consisting of her blood for many days, but not at the time of her menstruation, or when she discharges in addition to her menstruation, all the days of her unclean body fluid discharge she shall become unclean as in the days of her menstruation. ²⁶ Any bed on which she lies during all the days of her body fluid discharge shall become for her as her bed of menstruation, and any object on which she sits becomes unclean as her menstruation’s uncleanness. ²⁷ And any person who touches them becomes unclean, and he shall wash his garments, and he shall wash himself with water, and he shall be unclean until the evening.

²⁸ “ ‘And if she is clean from her body fluid discharge, then she shall count for herself seven days, and afterward she becomes clean. ²⁹ And on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two _⌊young doves_⌋, and she shall bring them to the priest at the tent of assembly’s entrance. ³⁰ And the priest shall _⌊sacrifice_⌋ the one as a sin offering and the _⌊other_⌋ as a burnt offering, and so the priest shall make atonement for her _⌊before_⌋ Yahweh from her unclean body fluid discharge.’

³¹ “And you shall keep the _⌊Israelites_⌋ separate from their uncleanness so that they might not die because of their uncleanness by their making my tabernacle, which is in their midst, unclean.

³² “This is the regulation of the one with the body fluid discharge and the one from whom an emission of semen goes out so that he becomes unclean by it ³³ and _⌊concerning_⌋ the menstruating woman in her bleeding and the person who discharges his body fluid, for the male and for the female and for a man who lies with an unclean woman.”

PROPHETS

2 Kings 4:1–44 (LEB)

Elisha Answers a Widow’s Request

4 A certain woman from the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. Now you know that your servant was a fearer of Yahweh, but the creditor came to take two of my children for himself as slaves. ² Elisha asked her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” Then she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of olive oil.” ³ Then he said to her, “Go, ask for yourself some containers from the streets, from all your neighbors. _⌊You must collect as many empty containers as you can_⌋! ⁴ You must also go and shut the door behind you and your children, and you must pour out oil into all of these containers and set the filled ones aside.” ⁵ So she went from him, and she shut the door behind her and her children. They were bringing containers to her, and she kept pouring. ⁶ It happened that when the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring near me another container,” but he said to her, “There is not another container.” Then the olive oil stopped flowing. ⁷ So she came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the olive oil and repay your debt. You and your sons can live on what is left over.”

Elisha at Shunem

⁸ It happened one day that Elisha passed through to Shunem where there was a wealthy woman, and she urged him to eat bread; so it happened each time he passed through, he would stop there to eat. ⁹ She said to her husband, “Please now, I know that he is a holy man of God who is passing _⌊our way_⌋ regularly; ¹⁰ let us make a small enclosed room upstairs and put a bed, table, chair, and lampstand there for him, so that when he comes to us, he can turn and stay there. ¹¹ One day it happened that he came there and went to the upper room and lay down there. ¹² He said to Gehazi his servant, “Call to this Shunammite,” so he called to her, and she stood before him. ¹³ He said to him, “Please say to her, ‘Look, you took all this trouble, showing care for us; what is there for me to do for you? To speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” She said, “I am living among my people.” ¹⁴ Then he said, “What may be done for her?” Gehazi said, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” ¹⁵ And he said, “Call for her,” so he called for her and she stood in the doorway. ¹⁶ And he said, “At this time _⌊next spring_⌋, you will be embracing a son.” She said, “No, my lord, O man of God! You must not tell a lie to your servant!” ¹⁷ But the woman conceived, and she bore a son _⌊in the spring_⌋, which Elisha had promised to her.

Elisha Restores the Shunammite’s Son

¹⁸ The child grew older, and it happened one day that he went out to his father and to the reapers. ¹⁹ Then he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to the servant, “Carry him to his mother.” ²⁰ So they carried him and brought him to his mother; he sat on her lap until noon and then died. ²¹ She went up, laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door, and went out behind it. ²² She called to her husband and said, “Please send one of the servants and one of the female donkeys for me, so that I can go quickly up to the man of God and return.” ²³ And he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the new moon nor the Sabbath!” And she said, “Peace.” ²⁴ She saddled the female donkey, and she said to her servant, “Drive along and go; you must not hold me back from riding, unless I tell you.” ²⁵ So she went and came to the man of God by Mount Carmel. It happened when the man of God saw her _⌊at a distance_⌋, he said to Gehazi his servant, “There is this Shunammite. ²⁶ Now, please run to meet her and ask her, ‘Is it peace for you? Is it peace for your husband? Is it peace for the boy?’ ” She said, “Peace.” ²⁷ So she came to the man of God at the mountain, and she caught hold of his feet. Then Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is bitter, and Yahweh has hidden it from me and has not told me.” ²⁸ Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say that you must not mislead me?”

²⁹ Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet anyone, you must not greet them; if anyone greets you, you must not answer them. You must put my staff on the face of the boy.” ³⁰ Then the mother of the boy said, “_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋ and _⌊as your soul lives_⌋, I will surely not leave you.” So he got up and went after her. ³¹ Gehazi crossed over before them, and he put the staff on the face of the boy; but there was no sound, and there was no sign of life, so he returned to meet him. He told him, saying, “The boy did not wake up.”

³² When Elisha came to the house, here was the boy dead, lying on his bed. ³³ He went and closed the door behind the two of them and prayed to Yahweh. ³⁴ Then he went up and lay upon the child and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his palms on his palms. As he bent down over him, the flesh of the boy became warm. ³⁵ He returned and went _⌊to and fro_⌋ in the house one time, then he went up and bent over him. Then the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. ³⁶ Elisha called to Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her and she came to him; then he said, “Pick up your son.” ³⁷ She came and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.

Elisha Secures the Food

³⁸ So Elisha returned to Gilgal. Now the famine was in the land, and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him. He said to his servant, put on the large pot and cook a stew for the sons of the prophets. ³⁹ One went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a _⌊wild vine_⌋ and gathered wild gourds from it and filled his cloak. Then he came and cut them into the pot of stew, but they did not know what they were. ⁴⁰ They served the men to eat, but when they ate from the stew, they cried out and said, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” They were not able to eat it. ⁴¹ Then he said, “Bring some flour,” and he threw it into the pot. He then said, “Serve the people and let them eat.” There was nothing harmful in the pot.

⁴² A man came from Baal-Shalishah and brought food to the man of God: firstfruits and twenty loaves of barley bread, with ripe grain in his sack. He said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.” ⁴³ Then his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” He said, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus Yahweh says, ‘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 Yahweh.

2 Kings 5:1–19 (LEB)

The Healing of Naaman the Syrian

5 Now Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man before his master and _⌊highly regarded_⌋, for by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. Now the man was a mighty warrior, but he was afflicted with a skin disease. ² When the Arameans went on a raid, they brought back a young girl from the land of Israel, and _⌊she came into the service of_⌋ the wife of Naaman. ³ She said to her mistress, “If only my lord would come before the prophet who is in Samaria; then _⌊he would cure his skin disease_⌋.” ⁴ He came and told his master, saying, “Thus and so the girl who is from the land of Israel said.” ⁵ So the king of Aram said, “Go, I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He went and took _⌊with him_⌋ ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

⁶ So he brought the letter to the king to Israel, saying, “Now, when this letter comes to you, I have just sent Naaman my servant to you that you may cure him from his skin disease.” ⁷ It happened that when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God to cause death or to give life? This man is sending a man to me to cure his disease. Indeed! But know and see that he seeks an opportunity against me.”

⁸ It happened that as soon as Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Please may he come to me, that he might know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ Then Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and he stopped at the doorway of the house of Elisha. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, you must wash seven times in the Jordan, then your flesh shall return to you, and you shall be clean.” ¹¹ But Naaman became angry and he went and said, “Look, I said to myself, ‘Surely he will come out, stand, call upon the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hands over the spot; then he would take away the skin disease.’ ¹² Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all of the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them that I may be clean?” Then he turned and left in anger. ¹³ But his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had spoken a difficult thing to you to do, would you not have done it? Why not even when he says to you, ‘Wash and you shall be clean’?” ¹⁴ So he went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh returned as the flesh of a small boy, and he was clean.

Elisha’s Greedy Servant Gehazi

¹⁵ When he returned to the man of God, he and all of his army, he came and stood before him and said, “Please now, I know that there is no God in all of the world except in Israel. So then, please take a gift from your servant.” ¹⁶ And he said, “_⌊As Yahweh lives_⌋, before whom I stand, I surely will not take it.” Still he urged him to take it, but he refused. ¹⁷ Then Naaman said, “If not, then please let a load of soil on a pair of mules be given to your servants, for your servant will never again bring a burnt offering and sacrifice to other gods, but only to Yahweh. ¹⁸ As far as this matter, may Yahweh pardon your servant when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he is leaning himself on my arm, that I also bow down in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh please pardon your servant in this matter.” ¹⁹ He said to him, “Go in peace,” so he went from him _⌊a short distance_⌋.

2 Kings 7:1–20 (LEB)

Elisha Prophesies Hope for Relief

7 Elisha said, “Hear the word of Yahweh: ‘Thus says Yahweh, “At this time tomorrow a seah of wheat bread flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria.’ ” ² Then the officer _⌊on whom the king relied_⌋ answered the man of God and said, “Look, even if Yahweh is making windows in heaven, could this thing happen?” And he said, “Look, you will be seeing it with your eyes, but you shall not eat from it there.”

Four Lepers Report the Departure of the Arameans

³ Now four men who had a skin disease were at the entrance of the gate, and they said _⌊to each other_⌋, “Why are we sitting here until we die? ⁴ If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; but if we sit here, we shall die. So then, come, let us fall into the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we shall live; but if they kill us, then we shall die.” ⁵ So they got up at dusk to go to the camp of the Arameans. They went up to the edge of the camp of the Arameans, and look, there was no man there! ⁶ Now the Lord had caused the camp of the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, the sound of horses, and the sound of a great army. So they said _⌊to one another_⌋, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us!” ⁷ So they got up and fled at dusk and left their tents, their horses, their donkeys, and the camp as it was, and they fled for their lives. ⁸ When these who had the skin disease came to the edge of the camp, they went into a certain tent and they ate, drank, and took from there silver and gold and clothes. Then they went and hid them, then returned and came to another tent, and they took from there and went and hid them.

⁹ Then they said _⌊to one another_⌋, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news! If we are silent and wait until the light of morning, _⌊we will be punished_⌋. So then, come, let us go and tell the house of the king.” ¹⁰ When they came, they called to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no man or the voice of a man there! Only the horses and the donkeys were tied up, and the tents were left as they were.” ¹¹ Then the gatekeepers called and told it inside the house of the king. ¹² The king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Please let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. The Arameans know that we are hungry, so they went out from the camp to hide in the field, saying, ‘When they go out from the city, we shall seize them alive and go into the city.’ ” ¹³ Then one of his servants replied and said, “Please let them take five of the remaining horses that remain in the city; behold, they are like all of the multitude of Israel that remain in it; they are like all the multitude of Israel who have perished. Let us send and see.” ¹⁴ So he took two charioteer horsemen, and the king sent after the camp of the Arameans, saying, “Go, find out,” ¹⁵ and they went after them to the Jordan. Look, all of the way was littered with clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.

Prophecy Fulfilled

¹⁶ So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. A seah of wheat flour went for a shekel and two seahs of barley went for a shekel according to the word of Yahweh. ¹⁷ Then the king appointed the officer he was depending on over the gate, but the people trampled him and he died, according to that which the man of God had said, which he spoke when the king came down to him. ¹⁸ It happened as the man of God spoke to the king, saying, “Two seahs of barley shall be sold for a shekel and a seah of wheat flour for a shekel at this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria.” ¹⁹ Then the officer had replied to the man of God and said, “Look, even if Yahweh is opening the windows in heaven, could this thing happen?” And he had said, “Look you are about to see it with your eyes, but you will not eat from it.” ²⁰ So it had happened to him; the people trampled him in the gate and he died.

GOSPELS

Mark 1:1–45 (LEB)

John the Baptist Begins His Ministry

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ² Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way,

³ the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight his paths!’ ”

⁴ John was there baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. ⁶ And John was dressed in camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he was preaching, saying, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and* untie the strap of his sandals. ⁸ I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹ And it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. ¹⁰ And immediately as he* was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being split apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

¹² And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³ And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Public Ministry in Galilee

¹⁴ And after John _⌊had been taken into custody_⌋, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ And as he* was passing by along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net* into the sea (for they were fishermen). ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “_⌊Follow_⌋ me and I will make you become fishers of people.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and* followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, and they were in the boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and* went away after him. ²¹ And they went into Capernaum and immediately on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue.

A Man with an Unclean Spirit Healed

²² And they were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes. ²³ And so then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, ²⁴ saying, “_⌊Leave us alone_⌋, Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” ²⁵ And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And after* convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. ²⁷ And they were all amazed, so that they began to discuss with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ And the report about him then went out everywhere in the whole surrounding region of Galilee.

Many at Capernaum Are Healed

²⁹ And so then he departed from the synagogue and* came into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, suffering with a fever, and at once they told him about her. ³¹ And he came and* raised her up by* taking hold of her hand, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³² Now when it* was evening, when the sun had set, they began bringing to him all those _⌊who were sick_⌋ and those who were demon-possessed. ³³ And the whole town was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ And he healed many _⌊who were sick_⌋ with various diseases and expelled many demons. And he did not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Preaching Throughout Galilee

³⁵ And getting up early in the morning while it was very dark, he departed and went to a deserted place, and there he was praying. ³⁶ And Simon and those who were with him searched diligently for him. ³⁷ And they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you!” ³⁸ And he said to them, “Let us go elsewhere, into the neighboring rural towns, so that I can preach there also, because I have come out for this very reason.” ³⁹ And he went into all Galilee preaching in their synagogues and expelling demons.

A Leper Cleansed

⁴⁰ And a leper came to him, entreating him and kneeling down, saying to him, “If you are willing, you are able to make me clean.” ⁴¹ And becoming angry, he stretched out his hand and* touched him*, and said to him, “I am willing; be made clean.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy went away from him and he was made clean. ⁴³ And warning him sternly, he sent him away at once. ⁴⁴ And he said to him, “See to it that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and bring for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. ⁴⁵ But he went out and* began to proclaim it* freely and to spread abroad the account, so that he was no longer able to enter publicly into a town. But he was staying outside in deserted places, and they were coming to him from all directions.

Luke 2:1–24 (LEB)

The Birth of Jesus Christ

2 Now it happened that in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire. ² (This first registration took place when* Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to be registered, each one to his own town. ⁴ So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, ⁵ to be registered together with Mary, who was legally promised in marriage to him and* was pregnant. ⁶ And it happened that while they were there, _⌊the time came_⌋ for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ And there were shepherds in the same region, living out of doors and keeping watch, guarding over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and _⌊they were terribly frightened_⌋. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: ¹¹ that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. ¹² And this will be the sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace

among people _⌊with whom he is pleased_⌋!”

¹⁵ And it happened that when the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began to say* to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has revealed to us!” ¹⁶ And they went hurrying and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ And when they* saw it,* they made known the statement that had been told to them about this child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it* were astonished concerning what had been said to them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering them* in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

²¹ And when eight days were completed _⌊so that he could be circumcised_⌋, he was named Jesus, his name that he was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple

²² And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him* to the Lord ²³ (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what was stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Luke 7:1–23 (LEB)

A Centurion’s Slave Healed

7 After he had finished all his statements in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. ² Now a certain centurion’s slave, who was esteemed by him, _⌊was sick_⌋ and* was about to die. ³ So when he* heard about Jesus, he sent Jewish elders to him, asking him that he would come and* cure his slave. ⁴ And when they* came to Jesus, they began imploring him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy that you grant this for him, ⁵ because he loves our nation and he himself built the synagogue for us.” ⁶ So Jesus went with them. Now by this time he was not far away from the house, and* the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof. ⁷ For this reason neither did I consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word and my slave must be healed. ⁸ For I also am a man placed under authority, who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”*

⁹ And when* Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning around to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith!” ¹⁰ And when they* returned to the house, those who had been sent found the slave healthy.

A Widow’s Son Raised

¹¹ And it happened that on the next day he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. ¹² And as he approached the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ And when* the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep!” ¹⁴ And he came up and* touched the bier, and those who were carrying it* stopped. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and he gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ And fear seized them all, and they began to glorify* God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us!” and “God has visited to help his people!” ¹⁷ And this report about him went out in the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

A Question from John the Baptist

¹⁸ And his disciples reported to John about all these things. And summoning a certain two of his disciples, John ¹⁹ sent them* to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” ²⁰ And when* the men came to him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ ” ²¹ In that hour he healed many people of diseases and suffering and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. ²² And he answered and* said to them, “Go and* tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear; the dead are raised, the poor have good news announced to them.* ²³ And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.”

THEOLOGY

Hebrews 13:1–4 (LEB)

Concluding Ethical Instructions

13 Brotherly love must continue. ² Do not neglect hospitality, because through this some have received angels as guests without knowing it. ³ Remember the prisoners, as though you were fellow-prisoners; remember* the mistreated, as though you yourselves also are being mistreated* in the body. ⁴ Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed be undefiled, because God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers.