(Luke 17:11–19)
1
Naaman, the leader of the military of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man with his lord. For through him the Lord gave salvation to Syria. And he was a strong and rich man, but a leper.
2
Now robbers had gone out from Syria, and they had led away captive, from the land of Israel, a little girl. And she was in the service of the wife of Naaman.
3
And she said to her lady: “I wish that my lord had been with the prophet who is in Samaria. Certainly, he would have cured him of the leprosy that he has.”
4
And so, Naaman entered to his lord, and he reported to him, saying: “The girl from the land of Israel spoke in such a manner.”
5
And the king of Syria said to him, “Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And when he had set out, he had taken with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand gold coins, and ten changes of fine clothing.
6
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, in these words: “When you will receive this letter, know that I have sent to you my servant, Naaman, so that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
7
And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his garments, and he said: “Am I God, so that I could take or give life, or so that this man would send to me to cure a man from his leprosy? Take notice and see that he is seeking occasions against me.”
8
And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, specifically, that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent to him, saying: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9
Therefore, Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will receive health, and you will be clean.”
11
And becoming angry, Naaman went away, saying: “I thought that he would have come out to me, and, standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord, his God, and that he would have touched the place of the leprosy with his hand, and so have healed me.
12
Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, so that I might wash in them and be cleansed?” But then, after he had turned himself away and was leaving with indignation,
13
his servants approached him, and they said to him: “If the prophet had told you, father, to do something great, certainly you ought to have done it. How much more so, now that he has said to you: ‘Wash, and you will be clean?’ ”
14
So he descended and washed in the Jordan seven times, in accord with the word of the man of God. And his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child. And he was made clean.
Gehazi’s Greed and Leprosy
15
And returning to the man of God, with his entire retinue, he arrived, and stood before him, and he said: “Truly, I know there is no other God, in all the earth, except in Israel. And so I beg you to accept a blessing from your servant.”(a)
16
But he responded, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And though he urged him strongly, he did not agree at all.
17
And Naaman said: “As you wish. But I beg you to grant to me, your servant, that I may take from here the burden of two mules from the ground. For your servant will no longer offer holocaust or victim to other gods, except to the Lord.
18
But there is still this matter, for which you will entreat the Lord on behalf of your servant: when my lord enters the temple of Rimmon, so that he may adore there, and he leans on my hand, if I will bow down in the temple of Rimmon, while he is adoring in the same place, that the Lord may ignore me, your servant, concerning this matter.”
19
And he said to him, “Go in peace.” Then he went away from him, in the elect time of the earth.(b)
20
And Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, said: “My lord has spared Naaman, this Syrian, by not receiving from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”
21
And so, Gehazi followed after the back of Naaman. And when he had seen him running toward him, he leaped down from his chariot to meet him, and he said, “Is all well?”
22
And he said: “It is well. My lord has sent me to you, saying: ‘Just now two youths from the sons of the prophets have come to me from mount Ephraim. Give them a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing.’ ”
23
And Naaman said, “It is better that you accept two talents.” And he urged him, and he bound the two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing. And he set them upon two of his servants, who carried them before him.
24
And when now he had arrived in the evening, he took them from their hands, and he stored them in the house. And he dismissed the men, and they went away.
25
Then, having entered, he stood before his lord. And Elisha said, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?” He responded, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
26
But he said: “Was my heart not present, when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? And now you have received money, and you have received garments, so that you might buy olive groves, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men and women servants.(c)
27
So then, the leprosy of Naaman shall adhere to you, and to your offspring forever.” And he departed from him a leper, as white as snow.
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