Biblical Missionaries The Unlikely Missionary

Lesson #3 for July 18, 2015

Scriptures: [2 Kings 2:1-15; 5; Mark 1:40-45; John 15:5; Romans 6:1,4-11][i].

1.    This lesson focuses on the story of the young Jewish slave girl captured from Israel by the Syrian military and how it resulted in the healing of Naaman, a Syrian military leader, of his leprosy. Elisha’s ministry spanned about half a century from about 850 B.C. to 800 B.C.

2.    There were three times in biblical history when a lot of miracles took place: 1) The days of the exodus, 2) The days of Elijah and Elisha, and 3) The days of Jesus and the apostles. What was unusual about those times that resulted in a lot of miracles? Were they times of great faith and great need? Or, little faith? Does greater faith produce more miracles? Some of the miracles of Jesus seemed to hinge on the faith of the recipient. What about the times of the exodus and the times of Elijah and Elisha? Were those times of great faith? Why do some so often suggest that if there were more faith, there would be more miracles?

3.    Read 2 Kings 5:1 which says: “Through Naaman the Lord had given victory to the Syrian forces.” (GNB)

This verse contains no fewer than four descriptions or titles that put Naaman in the top echelon of Syrian, or Aramean, society. He exerted major influence on the king of Aram, was held in high esteem, and was the king’s right-hand man in religious, as well as military, matters (vs. 18). He was also extremely wealthy (vs. 5). (Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Sunday, July 12)

4.    But, there was one major problem in Naaman’s life: He had leprosy. Modern medicine believes that leprosy is a disease caused by a bacteria which can only be acquired from long and frequent contact very early in one’s life with a person who has the disease. Leprosy was so dreaded in ancient times that patients were supposed to remain some distance from all other people; and when anyone came near, they were supposed to cry: “Unclean, unclean.”

5.    Read [Mark 1:40-45; Luke 8:41-56; Mark 2:1-12]ii. It is a well-known fact that people reach out for help when they are in trouble. When people recognize they have a serious problem, they look for the best help they can find. And in the days of Jesus, there was no question about where the best help was available! What about in Naaman’s time?

6.    It is a well-known fact sociologically that when there is a major disruption in someone’s life, s/he is more ready to accept new ideas, even new paradigms. Is that why the Christian church down through history has grown much more rapidly and more successfully during times of severe persecution? Why is it that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”?

7.    Try to imagine yourself in Naaman’s shoes. On the one hand, you are recognized as a national leader, a military general, a political and spiritual leader; on the other hand, you have the dreaded disease!

8.    Read 2 Kings 5:1-7iii. How do you explain the events in this passage? Clearly, this girl was a trusted servant, and no one else had even the hint of a cure for leprosy! Do you think she was aware of other people with leprosy who had been healed by the prophet? At least, she must have had some knowledge of his healing powers.

9.    Try to imagine what went through the young girl’s mind as she considered the possibility of mentioning Elisha to her mistress. Did she consider the fact that Elisha might not be willing to heal a Syrian? Did she think about the possibility that the family might just laugh at her suggestions? Why do you think the family took her suggestions seriously? Certainly, the actions of Naaman’s wife and of Naaman himself suggest that he was willing to do almost anything for a possible cure. The idea of a cure for leprosy must have been a shocker!

The conduct of the captive maid, the way that she bore herself in that heathen home, is a strong witness to the power of early home training.—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 245.1.

The most powerful sermon that can be given the unbelieving world in recommendation of our faith is a well-disciplined family. Children that are educated to habits of self-denial and self-control, and are taught to be courteous, kind, and affectionate, will make an impression upon minds that nothing else can.—Ellen G. White, Pamphlet 123, p. 45.1.

10.    Of course, we know nothing about the childhood or training of this young Hebrew girl. But, like the training of Moses in his first 12 years, her parents must have done a good job.

11.    Try to imagine the retinue of people traveling with Naaman as he was carrying all that “cash” and all those valuables, leaving Damascus, crossing a border that was often at war, and entering the land of Israel. But, the king of Israel was an evil man. When the king heard that Naaman was coming, did he immediately think this was some kind of military campaign?

12.    How do you think Elisha found out that Naaman was in town? Remember that Elisha’s primary responsibility was teaching in the schools of the prophets. In Elisha’s day, there were several of those schools located in different areas. What do you think was taught in the schools of the prophets? Those schools were started by Samuel.

13.    Read 2 Kings 2:1-15iv. Obviously, God thought that Elisha was ready to take up the mantle and carry on the work of Elijah. Seeing the Jordan split, how would you have responded? What do you think Elisha had in mind when he asked for “a double portion” of Elijah’s spirit? Remember that “a double portion” was the usual portion given to the firstborn son in a family. Elisha clearly recognized his need for the ongoing presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

14.    Try to imagine what it was like when Naaman and his retinue of attendants showed up at Elisha’s house. Was Elisha being disrespectful when he refused even to come out and talk to Naaman? Do you think everyone in the community around Elisha came out to see why that powerful Syrian general had come? Certainly, all the children must have been there.

15.    Elisha simply sent a messenger telling Naaman to go to the Jordan River and dip himself seven times, and he would be cleansed. Was Naaman upset by the treatment that he received? He thought that the rivers in Syria were much nicer than the Jordan!

16.    Read 2 Kings 5:11-14[v]. Naaman needed to know that the prophet of Israel and Israel’s God were the healers and not the waters of the Jordan or any other river. Obedience to this clear instruction of the God of Israel was his only hope of cleansing. With his usual superiority attitude, Naaman was offended by Elisha’s instructions. But, fortunately for him, his attendants suggested that if Elisha had asked him to do something difficult, he would have done it. Naaman realized that the instructions were actually very simple and that he should try to follow them. The entire healing process was designed to demonstrate: 1) That there was a prophet of the true God in Israel, and 2) That God rewarded obedient compliance. Naaman had to swallow his pride. After having come on that long mission at the suggestion of a Hebrew slave girl, he had to listen to a foreign prophet and, finally, to his own servants. But, where else could he go for a potential healing from leprosy? And so, he went to the Jordan River and dipped in it seven times. What do you think Naaman thought after having dipped in the river six times and there was no change?

17.    Read Romans 6:4-11vi. Is the Christian experience of baptism something like Naaman’s healing by dipping in the Jordan River? Isn’t baptism supposed to be like being born again into a new life? Certainly, healing from leprosy was a new life for Naaman.

18.    Read 2 Kings 5:15vii. Having accepted the directions and carried out the instructions, Naaman was convinced that there was/is no God in all the world except Israel’s God. What lesson should we learn from that?

19.    Read [Revelation 14:12; 1 John 5:2-3; Romans 6:1]viii. It should be clear from these passages that continuing in sin is not an option. A humble willingness to obey is the key to our relationship with God even though it may require a significant period of time and patient endurance.

20.    Try to imagine the reaction of Naaman and his servants as he came up out of the water the seventh time and found himself healed of leprosy! Naaman could have just raced home to share the good news; but, he decided to return to thank Elisha.

21.    There are several important lessons that we might learn from this story. Naaman received something through the ministry of Elisha that he could not have obtained in any other way. There is no way he could have bought it or earned it. Elisha refused the gifts that Naaman offered, suggesting also that salvation cannot be earned or bought. The fact that Naaman was willing to pay almost any price to get the needed healing suggests that we should be willing to sacrifice everything for the gift of salvation. Should we use Naaman as an example?

Let this point be fully settled in every mind: If we accept Christ as a Redeemer, we must accept Him as a Ruler. We cannot have the assurance and perfect confiding trust in Christ as our Saviour until we acknowledge Him as our King and are obedient to His commandments. Thus we evidence our allegiance to God. We have then the genuine ring in our faith, for it is a working faith. It works by love.—Ellen G. White, Faith and Works, p. 16.2; TMK293.2.

22.    Knowing that it would upset His audience at His hometown of Nazareth, why do you think Jesus mentioned Naaman and the widow of Zarephath in His sermon?

Centuries after Naaman returned to his Syrian home, healed in body and converted in spirit, his wonderful faith was referred to and commended by the Saviour as an object lesson for all who claim to serve God. “Many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet,” the Saviour declared; “and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.” Luke 4:27. God passed over the many lepers in Israel because their unbelief closed the door of good to them.

A heathen nobleman who had been true to his convictions of right, and who felt his need of help, was in the sight of God more worthy of His blessing than were the afflicted in Israel, who had slighted and despised their God-given privileges.

God works for those who appreciate His favors and respond to the light given them from heaven.—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 252.4-253.0.

23.    Read 2 Kings 5:17-19ix. What do you think about Naaman’s speech to Elisha? Naaman had never heard of such a “God” before. Does it give us any hints about how we should relate to people who are just becoming Christians? Naaman himself believed that he could only worship the true God of Israel. In Naaman’s day, it was believed that each area of the world had a “god” assigned to it. He believed that in order to serve the God of Israel, he had to carry home some soil from Israel so that he could kneel on that soil to worship the true God of Israel. But, Naaman went on to say that at times, he might be required to support the king of Syria when he went into the temple of Rimmon or Baal. How should we respond when people with whom we are working hold onto some of their former ways?

24.    In the early years of our missionary work in the Middle East and Near East, some of our churches had signs over the door saying, “No Muslim allowed.” Why do you think we did that?

25.    How rapidly should we expect change in new converts?

The widow of Sarepta and Naaman the Syrian had lived up to all the light they had; hence they were accounted more righteous than God’s chosen people who had backslidden from Him and had sacrificed principle to convenience and worldly honor.—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 416.3.

26.    Do you think Naaman was healed because of his faith? Or, because of his works? It is clear that even if he had believed the words of the young Hebrew slave girl, staying at home and asking for healing would almost certainly not have accomplished anything. Would you call his trip to visit Elisha and dipping in the Jordan River a kind of works?

27.    Trying to witness for your Christianity across cultural boundaries is a special challenge. When attempting to do that, is our life example more important than our words? How do you think Naaman’s family treated the Hebrew slave girl after he returned home?

28.    Consider the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman as recorded in John 4 and Jesus and the demon-possessed man/men as recorded in [Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39][x]. As far as we know, these were the first Samaritan and the first Gentile missionaries! What was their message? They obviously were not trained in giving Bible studies or carrying any major theological message. They simply told what God had done for them.

29.    Read 2 Kings 5:2-3,10,20-27xi. What should we learn from these passages? The young Hebrew slave girl witnessed in an environment where it probably was very difficult to do so. Naaman’s healing depended on his carefully following God’s instructions given through Elisha. Gehazi’s greed was clearly not part of God’s plan. We cannot earn or buy salvation.

30.    There were a number of occasions in Scripture and even in modern experience when the best witness that one could give at a particular point was/is their/our own personal experience. What personal experiences do you have that you could use as witnessing tools? Should it take an enormous amount of courage to witness about your personal experience? Would you consider the young Hebrew slave girl to be a witnessing hero? What kind of relationship do you think she had with her mistress? Did she have any direct relationship with Naaman himself? Did she have any feelings of racial prejudice against her master and mistress? Do we have any prejudice that could prevent us from witnessing to people we might actually be able to win? There are many examples in the Bible of how God sought to reach out to groups outside of Israel. Next week, we will talk about Jonah. Why do you think the Israelites were so reluctant to reach out to those they considered to be Gentiles?

31.    Can you think of others in the Bible who had to live and exist in foreign cultures where their habits and customs were probably looked down on? How well did they do living out their religion? Consider the stories of Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Ezekiel, etc.

32.    Think of the ways in which this young Hebrew girl could have responded to her situation. 1) She could have just said: “God has put me in this situation; so, let me just join them and follow their customs and religion.” Or, 2) She could have said: “I will practice my own religion, but I will do so privately.” She resisted both of those pathways.

33.    How do you think she knew that Elisha with God’s help could heal leprosy? Had Elisha done that earlier? Why do you think Naaman and his wife took her seriously? Remember that she was female, young, a foreigner from an enemy country, and a mere slave.

34.    Try to imagine a “Naaman experience” in the 21st century. What unusual or even surprising things about the story stand out in your mind? The heroine was a nameless, powerless slave girl! God went to considerable effort to reach an outsider, someone whom the Jews would, no doubt, have considered to be undeserving in the extreme. To get a hint about how Jews thought about Gentiles, read Luke 4:27-29xii.

35.    Try to imagine what happened in the home of Naaman after this story was over? Did they reward the young Hebrew slave girl? What did they say to her about her suggestions?

36.    In our day, is there an important place for contextual ministry? When we reach out to people of different churches, different cultures, and different races, should we demand that they completely change their lifestyle before we can accept them as Christians? Or, should we accept their small steps?

i-2 Kings 2:1 The time came for the LORD to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal, 2 and on the way Elijah said to Elisha, “Now stay here; the LORD has ordered me to go to Bethel.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by my loyalty to the living LORD and to you that I will not leave you.” So they went on to Bethel.

3 A group of prophets who lived there went to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha answered. “But let's not talk about it.”

4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Now stay here; the LORD has ordered me to go to Jericho.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by my loyalty to the living LORD and to you that I will not leave you.” So they went on to Jericho.

5 A group of prophets who lived there went to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha answered. “But let's not talk about it.”

6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Now stay here; the LORD has ordered me to go to the Jordan River.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by my loyalty to the living LORD and to you that I will not leave you.” So they went on, 7 and fifty of the prophets followed them to the Jordan. Elijah and Elisha stopped by the river, and the fifty prophets stood a short distance away. 8 Then Elijah took off his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it; the water divided, and he and Elisha crossed to the other side on dry ground. 9 There, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what you want me to do for you before I am taken away.”

“Let me receive the share of your power that will make me your successor,”[a] Elisha answered.

10 “That is a difficult request to grant,” Elijah replied. “But you will receive it if you see me as I am being taken away from you; if you don't see me, you won't receive it.”

11 They kept talking as they walked on; then suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah, “My father, my father! Mighty defender of Israel! You are gone!” And he never saw Elijah again.

In grief Elisha tore his cloak in two. 13 Then he picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He struck the water with Elijah's cloak and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” Then he struck the water again, and it divided, and he walked over to the other side. 15 The fifty prophets from Jericho saw him and said, “The power of Elijah is on Elisha!” They went to meet him, bowed down before him,

5:2 Kings 5 Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria, because through Naaman the LORD had given victory to the Syrian forces. He was a great soldier, but he suffered from a dreaded skin disease. 2 In one of their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite girl, who became a servant of Naaman's wife. 3 One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease.” 4 When Naaman heard of this, he went to the king and told him what the girl had said. 5 The king said, “Go to the king of Israel and take this letter to him.”

So Naaman set out, taking thirty thousand pieces of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of fine clothes. 6 The letter that he took read: “This letter will introduce my officer Naaman. I want you to cure him of his disease.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and exclaimed, “How can the king of Syria expect me to cure this man? Does he think that I am God,[a] with the power of life and death? It's plain that he is trying to start a quarrel with me!”

8 When the prophet Elisha heard what had happened, he sent word to the king: “Why are you so upset? Send the man to me, and I'll show him that there is a prophet in Israel!”

9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariot and stopped at the entrance to Elisha's house. 10 Elisha sent a servant out to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River, and he would be completely cured of his disease. 11 But Naaman left in a rage, saying, “I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the LORD his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot,[b] and cure me! 12 Besides, aren't the rivers Abana and Pharpar, back in Damascus, better than any river in Israel? I could have washed in them and been cured!”

13 His servants went up to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can't you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child. 15 He returned to Elisha with all his men and said, “Now I know that there is no god but the God of Israel; so please, sir, accept a gift from me.”

16 Elisha answered, “By the living LORD, whom I serve, I swear that I will not accept a gift.”

Naaman insisted that he accept it, but he would not. 17 So Naaman said, “If you won't accept my gift, then let me have two mule-loads of earth to take home with me,[c] because from now on I will not offer sacrifices or burnt offerings to any god except the LORD. 18 So I hope that the LORD will forgive me when I accompany my king to the temple of Rimmon, the god of Syria, and worship him. Surely the LORD will forgive me!”

19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said. And Naaman left.

He had gone only a short distance, 20 when Elisha's servant Gehazi said to himself, “My master has let Naaman get away without paying a thing! He should have accepted what that Syrian offered him. By the living LORD I will run after him and get something from him.” 21 So he set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw a man running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him, and asked, “Is something wrong?”

22 “No,” Gehazi answered. “But my master sent me to tell you that just now two members of the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim arrived, and he would like you to give them three thousand pieces of silver and two changes of fine clothes.”

23 “Please take six thousand pieces of silver,” Naaman replied. He insisted on it, tied up the silver in two bags, gave them and two changes of fine clothes to two of his servants, and sent them on ahead of Gehazi. 24 When they reached the hill where Elisha lived, Gehazi took the two bags and carried them into the house. Then he sent Naaman's servants back. 25 He went back into the house, and Elisha asked him, “Where have you been?”

“Oh, nowhere, sir,” he answered.

26 But Elisha said, “Wasn't I there in spirit when the man got out of his chariot to meet you? This is no time to accept money and clothes, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, or servants! 27 And now Naaman's disease will come upon you, and you and your descendants will have it forever!”

When Gehazi left, he had the disease—his skin was as white as snow.

Mark 1:40 A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. “If you want to,” he said, “you can make me clean.”[a]

41 Jesus was filled with pity,[b] and reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” 42 At once the disease left the man, and he was clean. 43 Then Jesus spoke sternly to him and sent him away at once, 44 after saying to him, “Listen, don't tell anyone about this. But go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered.”

45 But the man went away and began to spread the news everywhere. Indeed, he talked so much that Jesus could not go into a town publicly. Instead, he stayed out in lonely places, and people came to him from everywhere.

John 15:5 “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.

Romans 6:1What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase? 4 By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.

5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 10 And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 11 In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.

ii-Mark 1:40 A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. “If you want to,” he said, “you can make me clean.”[a]

41 Jesus was filled with pity,[b] and reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” 42 At once the disease left the man, and he was clean. 43 Then Jesus spoke sternly to him and sent him away at once, 44 after saying to him, “Listen, don't tell anyone about this. But go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered.”

45 But the man went away and began to spread the news everywhere. Indeed, he talked so much that Jesus could not go into a town publicly. Instead, he stayed out in lonely places, and people came to him from everywhere.

Luke 8:41 Then a man named Jairus arrived; he was an official in the local synagogue. He threw himself down at Jesus' feet and begged him to go to his home, 42 because his only daughter, who was twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went along, the people were crowding him from every side. 43 Among them was a woman who had suffered from severe bleeding for twelve years; she had spent all she had on doctors,[a] but no one had been able to cure her. 44 She came up in the crowd behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once. 45 Jesus asked, “Who touched me?”

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, the people are all around you and crowding in on you.”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I knew it when power went out of me.” 47 The woman saw that she had been found out, so she came trembling and threw herself at Jesus' feet. There in front of everybody, she told him why she had touched him and how she had been healed at once. 48 Jesus said to her, “My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

49 While Jesus was saying this, a messenger came from the official's house. “Your daughter has died,” he told Jairus; “don't bother the Teacher any longer.”

50 But Jesus heard it and said to Jairus, “Don't be afraid; only believe, and she will be well.”

51 When he arrived at the house, he would not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother. 52 Everyone there was crying and mourning for the child. Jesus said, “Don't cry; the child is not dead—she is only sleeping!”

53 They all made fun of him, because they knew that she was dead. 54 But Jesus took her by the hand and called out, “Get up, child!” 55 Her life returned, and she got up at once, and Jesus ordered them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astounded, but Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Mark 2:2 A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum, and the news spread that he was at home. 2 So many people came together that there was no room left, not even out in front of the door. Jesus was preaching the message to them 3 when four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man to Jesus. 4 Because of the crowd, however, they could not get the man to him. So they made a hole in the roof right above the place where Jesus was. When they had made an opening, they let the man down, lying on his mat. 5 Seeing how much faith they had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Some teachers of the Law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7 “How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!”

8 At once Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to them, “Why do you think such things? 9 Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, 11 “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

12 While they all watched, the man got up, picked up his mat, and hurried away. They were all completely amazed and praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

iii-2 Kings 5:5 Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria, because through Naaman the LORD had given victory to the Syrian forces. He was a great soldier, but he suffered from a dreaded skin disease. 2 In one of their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite girl, who became a servant of Naaman's wife. 3 One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease.” 4 When Naaman heard of this, he went to the king and told him what the girl had said. 5 The king said, “Go to the king of Israel and take this letter to him.”

So Naaman set out, taking thirty thousand pieces of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of fine clothes. 6 The letter that he took read: “This letter will introduce my officer Naaman. I want you to cure him of his disease.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and exclaimed, “How can the king of Syria expect me to cure this man? Does he think that I am God,[a] with the power of life and death? It's plain that he is trying to start a quarrel with me!”

iv-2 Kings 2:1 The time came for the LORD to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal, 2 and on the way Elijah said to Elisha, “Now stay here; the LORD has ordered me to go to Bethel.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by my loyalty to the living LORD and to you that I will not leave you.” So they went on to Bethel.

3 A group of prophets who lived there went to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha answered. “But let's not talk about it.”

4 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Now stay here; the LORD has ordered me to go to Jericho.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by my loyalty to the living LORD and to you that I will not leave you.” So they went on to Jericho.

5 A group of prophets who lived there went to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha answered. “But let's not talk about it.”

6 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Now stay here; the LORD has ordered me to go to the Jordan River.”

But Elisha answered, “I swear by my loyalty to the living LORD and to you that I will not leave you.” So they went on, 7 and fifty of the prophets followed them to the Jordan. Elijah and Elisha stopped by the river, and the fifty prophets stood a short distance away. 8 Then Elijah took off his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it; the water divided, and he and Elisha crossed to the other side on dry ground. 9 There, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what you want me to do for you before I am taken away.”

“Let me receive the share of your power that will make me your successor,”[a] Elisha answered.

10 “That is a difficult request to grant,” Elijah replied. “But you will receive it if you see me as I am being taken away from you; if you don't see me, you won't receive it.”

11 They kept talking as they walked on; then suddenly a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire came between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah, “My father, my father! Mighty defender of Israel! You are gone!” And he never saw Elijah again.

In grief Elisha tore his cloak in two. 13 Then he picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He struck the water with Elijah's cloak and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” Then he struck the water again, and it divided, and he walked over to the other side. 15 The fifty prophets from Jericho saw him and said, “The power of Elijah is on Elisha!” They went to meet him, bowed down before him,

v-2 Kings 5:11 But Naaman left in a rage, saying, “I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the LORD his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot,[a] and cure me! 12 Besides, aren't the rivers Abana and Pharpar, back in Damascus, better than any river in Israel? I could have washed in them and been cured!”

13 His servants went up to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can't you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child.

vi-Romans 6:4 By our baptism, then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from death by the glorious power of the Father, so also we might live a new life.

5 For since we have become one with him in dying as he did, in the same way we shall be one with him by being raised to life as he was. 6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. 7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin. 8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ has been raised from death and will never die again—death will no longer rule over him. 10 And so, because he died, sin has no power over him; and now he lives his life in fellowship with God. 11 In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.

vii-2 Kings 5:15 He returned to Elisha with all his men and said, “Now I know that there is no god but the God of Israel; so please, sir, accept a gift from me.”

viii-Revelation 14:12 This calls for endurance on the part of God's people, those who obey God's commandments and are faithful to Jesus.

1 John 5:2 This is how we know that we love God's children: it is by loving God and obeying his commands. 3 For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us,

Romans 6:6 What shall we say, then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God's grace will increase?

ix-2 Kings 5:17 So Naaman said, “If you won't accept my gift, then let me have two mule-loads of earth to take home with me,[a] because from now on I will not offer sacrifices or burnt offerings to any god except the LORD. 18 So I hope that the LORD will forgive me when I accompany my king to the temple of Rimmon, the god of Syria, and worship him. Surely the LORD will forgive me!”

x-Matthew 8:28 When Jesus came to the territory of Gadara on the other side of the lake, he was met by two men who came out of the burial caves there. These men had demons in them and were so fierce that no one dared travel on that road. 29 At once they screamed, “What do you want with us, you Son of God? Have you come to punish us before the right time?”

30 Not far away there was a large herd of pigs feeding. 31 So the demons begged Jesus, “If you are going to drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”

32 “Go,” Jesus told them; so they left and went off into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

33 The men who had been taking care of the pigs ran away and went into the town, where they told the whole story and what had happened to the men with the demons. 34 So everyone from the town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their territory.

Mark 5:5 Jesus and his disciples arrived on the other side of Lake Galilee, in the territory of Gerasa. 2 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, he was met by a man who came out of the burial caves there. This man had an evil spirit in him 3 and lived among the tombs. Nobody could keep him tied with chains any more; 4 many times his feet and his hands had been tied, but every time he broke the chains and smashed the irons on his feet. He was too strong for anyone to control him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the tombs and through the hills, screaming and cutting himself with stones.

6 He was some distance away when he saw Jesus; so he ran, fell on his knees before him, 7 and screamed in a loud voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God! What do you want with me? For God's sake, I beg you, don't punish me!” (8 He said this because Jesus was saying, “Evil spirit, come out of this man!”)

9 So Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

The man answered, “My name is ‘Mob’—there are so many of us!” 10 And he kept begging Jesus not to send the evil spirits out of that region.

11 There was a large herd of pigs near by, feeding on a hillside. 12 So the spirits begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, and let us go into them.” 13 He let them go, and the evil spirits went out of the man and entered the pigs. The whole herd—about two thousand pigs in all—rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

14 The men who had been taking care of the pigs ran away and spread the news in the town and among the farms. People went out to see what had happened, 15 and when they came to Jesus, they saw the man who used to have the mob of demons in him. He was sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were all afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the man with the demons, and about the pigs.

17 So they asked Jesus to leave their territory.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had had the demons begged him, “Let me go with you!”

19 But Jesus would not let him. Instead, he told him, “Go back home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how kind he has been to you.”

20 So the man left and went all through the Ten Towns, telling what Jesus had done for him. And all who heard it were amazed.

Luke 8:26 Jesus and his disciples sailed on over to the territory of Gerasa,[a] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a man from the town who had demons in him. For a long time this man had gone without clothes and would not stay at home, but spent his time in the burial caves. 28 When he saw Jesus, he gave a loud cry, threw himself down at his feet, and shouted, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God! What do you want with me? I beg you, don't punish me!” 29 He said this because Jesus had ordered the evil spirit to go out of him. Many times it had seized him, and even though he was kept a prisoner, his hands and feet tied with chains, he would break the chains and be driven by the demon out into the desert.

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is ‘Mob,’” he answered—because many demons had gone into him. 31 The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss.[b]

32 There was a large herd of pigs near by, feeding on a hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he let them. 33 They went out of the man and into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the side of the cliff into the lake and was drowned.

34 The men who had been taking care of the pigs saw what happened, so they ran off and spread the news in the town and among the farms. 35 People went out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were all afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the man had been cured. 37 Then all the people from that territory asked Jesus to go away, because they were terribly afraid. So Jesus got into the boat and left. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged Jesus, “Let me go with you.”

But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Go back home and tell what God has done for you.”

The man went through the town, telling what Jesus had done for him.

xi-2 Kings 5:2 In one of their raids against Israel, the Syrians had carried off a little Israelite girl, who became a servant of Naaman's wife. 3 One day she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master could go to the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would cure him of his disease.”

10 Elisha sent a servant out to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River, and he would be completely cured of his disease.

20 when Elisha's servant Gehazi said to himself, “My master has let Naaman get away without paying a thing! He should have accepted what that Syrian offered him. By the living LORD I will run after him and get something from him.” 21 So he set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw a man running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him, and asked, “Is something wrong?”

22 “No,” Gehazi answered. “But my master sent me to tell you that just now two members of the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim arrived, and he would like you to give them three thousand pieces of silver and two changes of fine clothes.”

23 “Please take six thousand pieces of silver,” Naaman replied. He insisted on it, tied up the silver in two bags, gave them and two changes of fine clothes to two of his servants, and sent them on ahead of Gehazi. 24 When they reached the hill where Elisha lived, Gehazi took the two bags and carried them into the house. Then he sent Naaman's servants back. 25 He went back into the house, and Elisha asked him, “Where have you been?”

“Oh, nowhere, sir,” he answered.

26 But Elisha said, “Wasn't I there in spirit when the man got out of his chariot to meet you? This is no time to accept money and clothes, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, or servants! 27 And now Naaman's disease will come upon you, and you and your descendants will have it forever!”

When Gehazi left, he had the disease—his skin was as white as snow.

xii-Luke 4:27 And there were many people suffering from a dreaded skin disease who lived in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha; yet not one of them was healed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger. 29 They rose up, dragged Jesus out of town, and took him to the top of the hill on which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff,

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