John 13:1-20; 2 Chronicles 18; Psalms 78:21-37

John 13:1-20

1 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2 Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot's son, to betray Him.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God.

4 So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself.

5 Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, "Lord, are You going to wash my feet?"

7 Jesus answered him, "What I'm doing you don't understand now, but afterwards you will know."

8 "You will never wash my feet-ever!" Peter said. Jesus replied, "If I don't wash you, you have no part with Me."

9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head."

10 "One who has bathed," Jesus told him, "doesn't need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you."

11 For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, "You are not all clean."

12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, "Do you know what I have done for you?

13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am.

14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.

16 "I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.

17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

18 I'm not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats My bread has raised his heel against Me.

19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am [He].

20 I assure you: The one who receives whomever I send receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."

2 Chronicles 18

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he made an alliance with Ahab through marriage.

2 Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. Then he persuaded him to march up to Ramoth-gilead,

3 for Israel's King Ahab asked Judah's King Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?" He replied to him, "I am as you are, my people as your people; [we will be] with you in the battle."

4 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "First, please ask what the Lord's will is."

5 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, 400 men, and asked them, "Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?" They replied, "March up, and God will hand it over to the king."

6 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of Yahweh here any more? Let's ask him."

7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man who can ask the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king shouldn't say that," Jehoshaphat replied.

8 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Hurry [and get] Micaiah son of Imlah!"

9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria's gate, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

10 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the Lord says: 'You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.' "

11 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king."

12 The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, "Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably."

13 But Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, I will say whatever my God says."

14 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I refrain?" Micaiah said, "March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you."

15 But the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord?"

16 So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, 'They have no master; let each return home in peace.'

17 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?"

18 Then Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and the whole heavenly host was standing at His right hand and at His left hand.

19 And the Lord said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' So one was saying this and another was saying that.

20 "Then a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will entice him.' "The Lord asked him, 'How?'

21 "So he said, 'I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' "Then He said, 'You will entice him and also prevail. Go and do that.'

22 "Now, you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you."

23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, "Did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?"

24 Micaiah replied, "You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day."

25 Then the king of Israel ordered, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son,

26 and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only bread and water until I come back safely.' "

27 But Micaiah said, "If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me." Then he said, "Listen, all you people!"

28 Then the king of Israel and Judah's King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.

29 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel."

31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him.

32 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

33 But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to the charioteer, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!"

34 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.

Psalms 78:21-37

21 Therefore, the Lord heard and became furious; then fire broke out against Jacob, and anger flared up against Israel

22 because they did not believe God or rely on His salvation.

23 He gave a command to the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven.

24 He rained manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven.

25 People ate the bread of angels. He sent them an abundant supply of food.

26 He made the east wind blow in the skies and drove the south wind by His might.

27 He rained meat on them like dust, and winged birds like the sand of the seas.

28 He made [them] fall in His camp, all around His tent.

29 They ate and were completely satisfied, for He gave them what they craved.

30 Before they had satisfied their desire, while the food was still in their mouths,

31 God's anger flared up against them, and He killed some of their best men. He struck down Israel's choice young men.

32 Despite all this, they kept sinning and did not believe His wonderful works.

33 He made their days end in futility, their years in sudden disaster.

34 When He killed [some of] them, [the rest] began to seek Him; they repented and searched for God.

35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God, their Redeemer.

36 But they deceived Him with their mouths, they lied to Him with their tongues,

37 their hearts were insincere toward Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.