Messianic devotional
Tazria-Metzora
תַזְרִיעַ־מְצֹרָע
Torah: Leviticus 12:1–15:33 · Haftarah: 2 Kings 7:3-20 · Brit Hadashah: Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 5:12-16; Matthew 8:1-17
✦ The portion this week
Portion summary
Tazria-Metzora opens with the purification of a woman after childbirth, then moves into the long protocols by which a priest examines skin eruptions, mildew in garments, and mildew in the walls of a house, declaring each "unclean" or "clean" by careful, repeated inspection. It closes with the laws governing bodily discharges, both male and female, and the warning that Israel must keep separate from uncleanness so as not to defile the tabernacle in their midst. Throughout, the priest does not punish — he examines, waits, and declares.
The thread of the parashah
What runs beneath these chapters is not disgust but diagnosis. Nothing here is treated as moral failure; blood after birth, a discoloration on skin, mildew on a wall — these are conditions of the body and the house that must be looked at honestly, named accurately, and given time. The priest isolates for seven days, looks again, sometimes isolates again. There is no rush to verdict. And crucially, uncleanness is never final: Leviticus 14:2 speaks of "the law for the one afflicted... on the day of his cleansing" — the torah assumes a way back.
The tzaraat laws are the sharpest instance of this. A man is not exiled because he is guilty; he is set outside the camp because something in him has broken open and needs to heal before he can safely bear the weight of communal holiness again. The rite that restores him in Leviticus 14:4-7 — two birds, cedar, scarlet, hyssop, blood sprinkled seven times, one bird released alive — is not medicine. It is a picture: death applied, and a living thing set free.
The haftarah
The four men "with leprosy" in 2 Kings 7:3 sit exactly where Leviticus 13:46 puts them — outside the camp, outside the city, unclean and forgotten while Samaria starves within its own walls. But it is precisely these excluded men who first discover that the siege has lifted, that God has already acted. Those inside the gate are dying of the very scarcity that the outcasts are the first to see relieved. The prophet's word to the king's officer in 2 Kings 7:19 — "you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat" — lands as a warning that unbelief can stand at the very threshold of provision and still starve. The men put outside by the law become, unexpectedly, the bearers of good news to the ones inside it.
Messiah in the portion
A man "covered with leprosy" falls before Yeshua in Luke 5:12 with the same plea any metzora might bring to a priest: "if You are willing, You can make me clean." But Yeshua does something the Levitical priest could never do — He reaches out His hand and touches him (Luke 5:13). Contact with a metzora should have transmitted uncleanness to the one who touches. Instead uncleanness is reversed at the touch; cleanness moves outward from Him. He then sends the man to do exactly what Leviticus 14:2-3 requires — show himself to the priest, bring the prescribed offering — not to bypass the torah's process but to fulfill it, letting the priesthood witness what He has already accomplished. Matthew 8:17 reads this pattern back into Isaiah: He does not merely diagnose sickness from a distance the way the priest of Leviticus 13 must; He carries it.
For the week
Practice honest self-examination this week the way the priest examined skin: without panic, without haste to declare yourself finished, giving whatever is unresolved the time Leviticus 13 gives it — a second look, a further waiting period — rather than either hiding it or pronouncing it clean before it is. Where something in your life needs a witness, bring it into the light of an actual person, not merely a private conclusion.
AI-generated Messianic devotional reflection on the portion texts, checkable against the cited readings.
✦ Toraheach verse number opens its Hebrew interlinear
Aliyah 1 · Leviticus 12:1–13:23
12:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12:2 “ Say to the Israelites, ‘ A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be unclean for seven days, as she is during the days of her menstruation. 12:3 And on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised. 12:4 The woman shall continue in purification from her bleeding for thirty-three days. She must not touch anything sacred or go into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are complete. 12:5 If, however, she gives birth to a daughter, the woman will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstruation. Then she must continue in purification from her bleeding for sixty-six days. 12:6 When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 12:7 And the priest will present them before the LORD and make atonement for her; and she shall be ceremonially cleansed from her flow of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or to a female. 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’” 13:1 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 13:2 “ When someone has a swelling or rash or bright spot on his skin that could become an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. 13:3 The priest is to examine the infection on his skin, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the sore appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean. 13:4 If, however, the spot on his skin is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days. 13:5 On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine him, and if he sees that the infection is unchanged and has not spread on the skin, the priest must isolate him for another seven days. 13:6 The priest will examine him again on the seventh day, and if the sore has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is a rash. The person must wash his clothes and be clean. 13:7 But if the rash spreads further on his skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he must present himself again to the priest. 13:8 The priest will reexamine him, and if the rash has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; he has a skin disease. 13:9 When anyone develops a skin disease, he must be brought to the priest. 13:10 The priest will examine him, and if there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, 13:11 it is a chronic skin disease and the priest must pronounce him unclean. He need not isolate him, for he is unclean. 13:12 But if the skin disease breaks out all over his skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from head to foot, as far as the priest can see, 13:13 the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean. Since it has all turned white, he is clean. 13:14 But whenever raw flesh appears on someone, he will be unclean. 13:15 When the priest sees the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease. 13:16 But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he must go to the priest. 13:17 The priest will reexamine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest is to pronounce the infected person clean; then he is clean. 13:18 When a boil appears on someone’s skin and it heals, 13:19 and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, he must present himself to the priest. 13:20 The priest shall examine it, and if it appears to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection that has broken out in the boil. 13:21 But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin and has faded, the priest shall isolate him for seven days. 13:22 If it spreads any further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. 13:23 But if the spot remains unchanged and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
Aliyah 2 · Leviticus 13:24-39
13:24 When there is a burn on someone’s skin and the raw area of the burn becomes reddish-white or white, 13:25 the priest must examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection. 13:26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot, and it is not beneath the skin but has faded, the priest shall isolate him for seven days. 13:27 On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine him, and if it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a diseased infection. 13:28 But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread on the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest is to pronounce him clean; for it is only the scar from the burn. 13:29 If a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin, 13:30 the priest shall examine the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a scaly outbreak, an infectious disease of the head or chin. 13:31 But if the priest examines the scaly infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest shall isolate the infected person for seven days. 13:32 On the seventh day the priest is to reexamine the infection, and if the scaly outbreak has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it, and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, 13:33 then the person must shave himself except for the scaly area. Then the priest shall isolate him for another seven days. 13:34 On the seventh day the priest shall examine the scaly outbreak, and if it has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, the priest is to pronounce him clean. He must wash his clothes, and he will be clean. 13:35 If, however, the scaly outbreak spreads further on the skin after his cleansing, 13:36 the priest is to examine him, and if the scaly outbreak has spread on the skin, the priest need not look for yellow hair; the person is unclean. 13:37 If, however, in his sight the scaly outbreak is unchanged and black hair has grown in it, then it has healed. He is clean, and the priest is to pronounce him clean. 13:38 When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin, 13:39 the priest shall examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.
Aliyah 3 · Leviticus 13:40-54
13:40 Now if a man loses his hair and is bald, he is still clean. 13:41 Or if his hairline recedes and he is bald on his forehead, he is still clean. 13:42 But if there is a reddish-white sore on the bald head or forehead, it is an infectious disease breaking out on it. 13:43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white like a skin disease, 13:44 the man is diseased; he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean because of the infection on his head. 13:45 A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘ Unclean, unclean!’ 13:46 As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp. Laws about Mildew 13:47 If any fabric is contaminated with mildew — any wool or linen garment, 13:48 any weave or knit of linen or wool, or any article of leather — 13:49 and if the mark in the fabric, leather, weave, knit, or leather article is green or red, then it is contaminated with mildew and must be shown to the priest. 13:50 And the priest is to examine the mildew and isolate the contaminated fabric for seven days. 13:51 On the seventh day the priest shall reexamine it, and if the mildew has spread in the fabric, weave, knit, or leather, then regardless of how it is used, it is a harmful mildew; the article is unclean. 13:52 He is to burn the fabric, weave, or knit, whether the contaminated item is wool or linen or leather. Since the mildew is harmful, the article must be burned up. 13:53 But when the priest reexamines it, if the mildew has not spread in the fabric, weave, knit, or leather article, 13:54 the priest is to order the contaminated article to be washed and isolated for another seven days.
Aliyah 4 · Leviticus 13:55–14:20
13:55 After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine it, and if the mildewed article has not changed in appearance, it is unclean. Even though the mildew has not spread, you must burn it, whether the rot is on the front or back. 13:56 If the priest examines it and the mildew has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, leather, weave, or knit. 13:57 But if it reappears in the fabric, weave, or knit, or on any leather article, it is spreading. You must burn the contaminated article. 13:58 If the mildew disappears from the fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article after washing, then it is to be washed again, and it will be clean. 13:59 This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, weave, or knit, or any leather article, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.” 14:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 14:2 “ This is the law for the one afflicted with a skin disease on the day of his cleansing, when he is brought to the priest. 14:3 The priest is to go outside the camp to examine him, and if the skin disease of the afflicted person has healed, 14:4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed. 14:5 Then the priest shall command that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in a clay pot. 14:6 And he is to take the live bird together with the cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, and dip them into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. 14:7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the skin disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and release the live bird into the open field. 14:8 The one being cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean. Afterward, he may enter the camp, but he must remain outside his tent for seven days. 14:9 On the seventh day he must shave off all his hair — his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he will be clean. 14:10 On the eighth day he is to bring two unblemished male lambs, an unblemished ewe lamb a year old, a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil, and one log of olive oil. 14:11 The priest who performs the cleansing shall present the one to be cleansed, together with these offerings, before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 14:12 Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and present it as a guilt offering, along with the log of olive oil; and he must wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. 14:13 Then he is to slaughter the lamb in the sanctuary area where the sin offering and burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14:14 The priest is to take some of the blood from the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 14:15 Then the priest shall take some of the log of olive oil, pour it into his left palm, 14:16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his left palm, and sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD. 14:17 And the priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering. 14:18 The rest of the oil in his palm, the priest is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the LORD. 14:19 Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering 14:20 and offer it on the altar, with the grain offering, to make atonement for him, and he will be clean.
Aliyah 5 · Leviticus 14:21-32
14:21 If, however, the person is poor and cannot afford these offerings, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for him, along with a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of olive oil, 14:22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford, one to be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 14:23 On the eighth day he is to bring them for his cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. 14:24 The priest shall take the lamb for the guilt offering, along with the log of olive oil, and wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. 14:25 And after he slaughters the lamb for the guilt offering, the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 14:26 Then the priest is to pour some of the oil into his left palm 14:27 and sprinkle with his right forefinger some of the oil in his left palm seven times before the LORD. 14:28 The priest shall also put some of the oil in his palm on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot — on the same places as the blood of the guilt offering. 14:29 The rest of the oil in his palm, the priest is to put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the LORD. 14:30 Then he must sacrifice the turtledoves or young pigeons, whichever he can afford, 14:31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the LORD for the one to be cleansed. 14:32 This is the law for someone who has a skin disease and cannot afford the cost of his cleansing.” Signs of Home Contamination
Aliyah 6 · Leviticus 14:33–15:15
14:33 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 14:34 “ When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a contamination of mildew into a house in that land, 14:35 the owner of the house shall come and tell the priest, ‘Something like mildew has appeared in my house.’ 14:36 The priest must order that the house be cleared before he enters it to examine the mildew, so that nothing in the house will become unclean. After this, the priest shall go in to inspect the house. 14:37 He is to examine the house, and if the mildew on the walls consists of green or red depressions that appear to be beneath the surface of the wall, 14:38 the priest shall go outside the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days. 14:39 On the seventh day the priest is to return and inspect the house. If the mildew has spread on the walls, 14:40 he must order that the contaminated stones be pulled out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city. 14:41 And he shall have the inside of the house scraped completely and the plaster that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the city. 14:42 So different stones must be obtained to replace the contaminated ones, as well as additional mortar to replaster the house. 14:43 If the mildew reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house has been scraped and replastered, 14:44 the priest must come and inspect it. If the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew; the house is unclean. 14:45 It must be torn down with its stones, its timbers, and all its plaster, and taken outside the city to an unclean place. 14:46 Anyone who enters the house during any of the days that it is closed up will be unclean until evening. 14:47 And anyone who sleeps in the house or eats in it must wash his clothes. Cleansing a Home 14:48 If, however, the priest comes and inspects it, and the mildew has not spread after the house has been replastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the mildew is gone. 14:49 He is to take two birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop to purify the house; 14:50 and he shall slaughter one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. 14:51 Then he shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn, and the live bird, dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 14:52 And he shall cleanse the house with the bird ’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet yarn. 14:53 Finally, he is to release the live bird into the open fields outside the city. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean. 14:54 This is the law for any infectious skin disease, for a scaly outbreak, 14:55 for mildew in clothing or in a house, 14:56 and for a swelling, rash, or spot, 14:57 to determine when something is clean or unclean. This is the law regarding skin diseases and mildew.” 15:1 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 15:2 “ Say to the Israelites, ‘ When any man has a bodily discharge, the discharge is unclean. 15:3 This uncleanness is from his discharge, whether his body allows the discharge to flow or blocks it. So his discharge will bring about uncleanness. 15:4 Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean, and any furniture on which he sits will be unclean. 15:5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:6 Whoever sits on furniture on which the man with the discharge was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:7 Whoever touches the body of the man with a discharge must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:8 If the man with the discharge spits on one who is clean, that person must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:9 Any saddle on which the man with the discharge rides will be unclean. 15:10 Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and whoever carries such things must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:11 If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands with water, the one who was touched must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:12 Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, and any wooden utensil must be rinsed with water. The Cleansing of Men 15:13 When the man has been cleansed from his discharge, he must count off seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe himself in fresh water, and he shall be clean. 15:14 On the eighth day he is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, come before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest. 15:15 The priest is to sacrifice them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the man before the LORD because of his discharge.
Aliyah 7 · Leviticus 15:16-33
15:16 When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:17 Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen must be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening. 15:18 If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with water, and they will remain unclean until evening. The Uncleanness of Women 15:19 When a woman has a discharge consisting of blood from her body, she will be unclean due to her menstruation for seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. 15:20 Anything on which she lies or sits during her menstruation will be unclean, 15:21 and anyone who touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:22 Whoever touches any furniture on which she was sitting must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. 15:23 And whether it is a bed or furniture on which she was sitting, whoever touches it will be unclean until evening. 15:24 If a man lies with her and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days, and any bed on which he lies will become unclean. 15:25 When a woman has a discharge of her blood for many days at a time other than her menstrual period, or if it continues beyond her period, she will be unclean all the days of her unclean discharge, just as she is during the days of her menstruation. 15:26 Any bed on which she lies or any furniture on which she sits during the days of her discharge will be unclean, like her bed during her menstrual period. 15:27 Anyone who touches these things will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean until evening. The Cleansing of Women 15:28 When a woman is cleansed of her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. 15:29 On the eighth day she is to take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 15:30 The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the LORD for her unclean discharge. 15:31 You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them. 15:32 This is the law of him who has a discharge, of the man who has an emission of semen whereby he is unclean, 15:33 of a woman in her menstrual period, of any male or female who has a discharge, and of a man who lies with an unclean woman.’”
✦ Haftarah (Prophets)
7:3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “ Why just sit here until we die? 7:4 If we say, ‘ Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.” 7:5 So they arose at twilight and went to the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the outskirts of the camp, there was not a man to be found. 7:6 For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “ Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” 7:7 Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives. 7:8 When the lepers reached the edge of the camp, they went into a tent to eat and drink. Then they carried off the silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. On returning, they entered another tent, carried off some items from there, and hid them. 7:9 Finally, they said to one another, “ We are not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until morning light, our sin will overtake us. Now, therefore, let us go and tell the king ’s household.” 7:10 So they went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city, saying, “ We went to the Aramean camp and no one was there — not a trace— only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents were intact.” 7:11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported to the king ’s household. 7:12 So the king got up in the night and said to his servants, “ Let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving, so they have left the camp to hide in the field, thinking, ‘ When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and enter the city.’” 7:13 But one of his servants replied, “ Please, have scouts take five of the horses that remain in the city. Their plight will be no worse than all the Israelites who are left here. You can see that all the Israelites here are doomed. So let us send them and find out.” 7:14 Then the scouts took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “ Go and see.” 7:15 And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king. Elisha’s Prophecy Fulfilled 7:16 Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. It was then that a seah of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. 7:17 Now the king had appointed the officer on whose arm he leaned to be in charge of the gate, but the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king had come to him. 7:18 It happened just as the man of God had told the king: “ About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel.” 7:19 And the officer had answered the man of God, “ Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” So Elisha had replied, “ You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” 7:20 And that is just what happened to him. The people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
✦ Brit Hadashah (Renewed Covenant)
8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 8:2 Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “ Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 8:3 Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “ I am willing,” He said. “ Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 8:4 Then Jesus instructed him, “ See that you don’ t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.” The Faith of the Centurion (Luke 7:1–10; John 4:43–54)
5:12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “ Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 5:13 Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “ I am willing,” He said. “ Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 5:14 “ Do not tell anyone,” Jesus instructed him. “ But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 5:15 But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 5:16 Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray. Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12)
8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 8:2 Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “ Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 8:3 Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “ I am willing,” He said. “ Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 8:4 Then Jesus instructed him, “ See that you don’ t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses, as a testimony to them.” The Faith of the Centurion (Luke 7:1–10; John 4:43–54) 8:5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came and pleaded with Him, 8:6 “ Lord, my servant lies at home, paralyzed and in terrible agony.” 8:7 “ I will go and heal him,” Jesus replied. 8:8 The centurion answered, “ Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8:9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell one to go, and he goes; and another to come, and he comes. I tell my servant to do something, and he does it.” 8:10 When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those following Him, “ Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 8:11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west to share the banquet with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 8:12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “ Go! As you have believed, so will it be done for you.” And his servant was healed at that very hour. Jesus Heals at Peter’s House (Mark 1:29–34; Luke 4:38–41) 8:14 When Jesus arrived at Peter ’s house, He saw Peter ’s mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever. 8:15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve them. 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “ He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.” The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 9:57–62; Luke 14:25–33; John 6:59–66)