Elijah Flees to Horeb

19 Now Ahab told Jezebel^(A) everything Elijah had done and how he had killed^(B) all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(C) if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”^(D)

³ Elijah was afraid^[a] and ran^(E) for his life.^(F) When he came to Beersheba^(G) in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush,^(H) sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life;^(I) I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.^(J)

All at once an angel^(K) touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty^(L) days and forty nights until he reached Horeb,^(M) the mountain of God.

Psalm 34^[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(B) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(C) and separated from the life of God^(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{(E) 19} Having lost all sensitivity,^(F) they have given themselves over^(G) to sensuality^(H) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(I) your old self,^(J) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(K) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(L) 24} and to put on^(M) the new self,^(N) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(O)

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(P) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^{(Q) 26} “In your anger do not sin”^[a]:^(R) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.^{(S) 28} Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(T) doing something useful with their own hands,^(U) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(V)

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(W) but only what is helpful for building others up^(X) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(Y) with whom you were sealed^(Z) for the day of redemption.^{(AA) 31} Get rid of^(AB) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^{(AC) 32} Be kind and compassionate to one another,^(AD) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^(AE) 5 ¹ Follow God’s example,^(AF) therefore, as dearly loved children^{(AG) 2} and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us^(AH) and gave himself up for us^(AI) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^(AJ)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(A) the bread of life.^(B) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(C) in me will never be thirsty.^{(D) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(E) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(F) not to do my will but to do the will^(G) of him who sent me.^{(H) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(I) but raise them up at the last day.^{(J) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(K) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(L) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,^(M) whose father and mother we know?^(N) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(O)

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(P) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[a](Q) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(R) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(S) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(T) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(U) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(V) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(W) that came down from heaven.^(X) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(Y)