⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”

¹⁷ but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is ^(A)the firstfruits of his strength. ^(B)The right of the firstborn is his.

^17 (A)And I will come down and talk with you there. And ^(B)I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and ^(C)they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

¹⁷ Let the elders ^(A)who rule well be considered worthy of ^(B)double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

²⁵ And now, behold, ^(A)I know that none of you among whom I have gone about ^(B)proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore ^(C)I testify to you this day that ^(D)I am innocent of the blood of all, ²⁷ for ^(E)I did not shrink from declaring to you ^(F)the whole counsel of God. ^28 (G)Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all ^(H)the flock, in which ^(I)the Holy Spirit has made you ^(J)overseers, ^(K)to care for ^(L)the church of God,^[a] which he ^(M)obtained ^(N)with his own blood.^{[b] 29} I ^(O)know that after my departure ^(P)fierce wolves will come in among you, ^(Q)not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and ^(R)from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore ^(S)be alert, remembering that ^(T)for three years I did not cease night or day ^(U)to admonish every one ^(V)with tears. ³² And now ^(W)I commend you to God and to ^(X)the word of his grace, which is able to ^(Y)build you up and to give you ^(Z)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ^33 (AA)I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. ^34 (AB)You yourselves know that ^(AC)these hands ministered to my necessities and ^(AD)to those who were with me. ³⁵ In all things ^(AE)I have shown you that ^(AF)by working hard in this way we must ^(AG)help the weak and ^(AH)remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed ^(AI)to give than to receive.’”

³⁶ And when he had said these things, ^(AJ)he knelt down and prayed with them all.

⁷ Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for ^(A)if I do not go away, ^(B)the Helper will not come to you. But ^(C)if ^(D)I go, ^(E)I will send him to you.

^8 (A)On that day ^(B)the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that ^(C)the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, ^(D)like the angel of the Lord, going before them.