Elijah’s Message to Ahab

18 And it came to pass after ^(A)many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and ^(B)I will send rain on the earth.”

² So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria. ³ And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was ^[a]in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. ⁴ For so it was, while Jezebel ^[b]massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.) ⁵ And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.” ⁶ So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

⁷ Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he ^(C)recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that you, my lord Elijah?”

⁸ And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ”

⁹ So he said, “How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? ¹⁰ As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you. ¹¹ And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here” ’! ¹² And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that ^(D)the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. ¹³ Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? ¹⁴ And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ He will kill me!”

¹⁵ Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.”

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

The Corinthians’ Repentance

² Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, ^(A)we have cheated no one. ³ I do not say this to condemn; for ^(B)I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. ^4 (C)Great is my boldness of speech toward you, ^(D)great is my boasting on your behalf. ^(E)I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

⁵ For indeed, ^(F)when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but ^(G)we were troubled on every side. ^(H)Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless ^(I)God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by ^(J)the coming of Titus, ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the ^[a]consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

⁸ For even if I made you ^(K)sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; ^(L)though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. ⁹ Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. ¹⁰ For ^(M)godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; ^(N)but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what ^(O)clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be ^(P)clear in this matter. ¹² Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, ^(Q)but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.

The Joy of Titus

¹³ Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit ^(R)has been refreshed by you all. ¹⁴ For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. ¹⁵ And his affections are greater for you as he remembers ^(S)the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. ¹⁶ Therefore I rejoice that ^(T)I have confidence in you in everything.

¹⁷ Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, ^(A)“Is that you, O ^(B)troubler of Israel?”

¹⁸ And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, ^(C)in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals. ¹⁹ Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on ^(D)Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, ^(E)and the four hundred prophets of ^[a]Asherah, who ^[b]eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory

²⁰ So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and ^(F)gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. ²¹ And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ^(G)“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, ^(H)follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. ²² Then Elijah said to the people, ^(I)“I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; ^(J)but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. ²³ Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. ²⁴ Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who ^(K)answers by fire, He is God.”

So all the people answered and said, ^[c]“It is well spoken.”

²⁵ Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”

²⁶ So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, ^[d]hear us!” But there was ^(L)no voice; no one answered. Then they ^[e]leaped about the altar which they had made.

²⁷ And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry ^[f]aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” ²⁸ So they cried aloud, and ^(M)cut themselves, as was their custom, with ^[g]knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. ²⁹ And when midday was past, ^(N)they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was ^(O)no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. ^(P)And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. ³¹ And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ^(Q)“Israel shall be your name.” ³² Then with the stones he built an altar ^(R)in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. ³³ And he ^(S)put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and ^(T)pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” ³⁴ Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. ³⁵ So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled ^(U)the trench with water.

³⁶ And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord ^(V)God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, ^(W)let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that ^(X)I have done all these things at Your word. ³⁷ Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

³⁸ Then ^(Y)the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ^(Z)“The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

⁴⁰ And Elijah said to them, ^(AA)“Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook ^(AB)Kishon and ^(AC)executed them there.

The Drought Ends

⁴¹ Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” ⁴² So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; ^(AD)then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, ⁴³ and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”

So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

⁴⁴ Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ^[h]‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”

⁴⁵ Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ Then the ^(AE)hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he ^(AF)girded^[i] up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

The Plot to Kill Jesus^(A)

22 Now ^(B)the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. ² And ^(C)the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.

^3 (D)Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the ^(E)twelve. ⁴ So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. ⁵ And they were glad, and ^(F)agreed to give him money. ⁶ So he promised and sought opportunity to ^(G)betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Jesus and His Disciples Prepare the Passover

^7 (H)Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be ^[a]killed. ⁸ And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

⁹ So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”

¹⁰ And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. ¹¹ Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ ¹² Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”

¹³ So they went and ^(I)found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper

^14 (J)When the hour had come, He sat down, and the ^[b]twelve apostles with Him. ¹⁵ Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶ for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it ^(K)until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; ¹⁸ for ^(L)I say to you, ^[c]I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

^19 (M)And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My ^(N)body which is given for you; ^(O)do this in remembrance of Me.”

²⁰ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ^(P)“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. ^21 (Q)But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. ^22 (R)And truly the Son of Man goes ^(S)as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

^23 (T)Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.

The Disciples Argue About Greatness

^24 (U)Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ^25 (V)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ ^26 (W)But not so among you; on the contrary, ^(X)he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. ^27 (Y)For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet ^(Z)I am among you as the One who serves.

²⁸ “But you are those who have continued with Me in ^(AA)My trials. ²⁹ And ^(AB)I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, ³⁰ that ^(AC)you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, ^(AD)and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(AE)

^31 [d]And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, ^(AF)Satan has asked for you, that he may ^(AG)sift you as wheat. ³² But ^(AH)I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, ^(AI)strengthen your brethren.”

³³ But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”

^34 (AJ)Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

Supplies for the Road

^35 (AK)And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”

So they said, “Nothing.”

³⁶ Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. ³⁷ For I say to you that this which is written must still be ^[e]accomplished in Me: ^(AL)‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”

³⁸ So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”

And He said to them, “It is enough.”