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2 Kings 1-2

Ahaziah’s Messengers Meet Elijah

Now (A)Moab broke with Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell through the window lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, (B)inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, (C)whether I will recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the Lord said to (D)Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of (E)Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Now therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘[a](F)You will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’” Then Elijah departed.

When the messengers returned to [b]Ahaziah, he said to them, “[c]Why have you returned?” They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers (G)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore [d]you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”’” Then he said to them, “What [e]did the man look like, who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” And they said to him, “(H)He was a hairy man with a leather [f]belt worn around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

Then the king (I)sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “You man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10 But Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, (J)may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” (K)Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

11 So the king again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he said to him, “You man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down quickly!’” 12 But Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

13 So the king (L)again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty men. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, “You man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my [g]life be precious in your sight.” 15 And (M)the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; (N)do not be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down with him to the king. 16 Then he said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Since you have sent messengers (O)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore [h]you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”

Jehoram Reigns over Israel

17 So Ahaziah died in accordance with the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place (P)in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. 18 Now as for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Elijah Taken to Heaven

Now it came about, when the Lord was about to (Q)bring Elijah up by a [i]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left (R)Gilgal with (S)Elisha. And Elijah said to Elisha, “(T)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as (U)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(V)As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then (W)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over [j]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”

And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (X)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (Y)Jericho.” But he said, “(Z)As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. Then (AA)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(AB)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [k]you today?” And he [l]answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” And Elijah said to him, “Please (AC)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (AD)the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

Now (AE)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. And Elijah (AF)took his coat, folded it, and (AG)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a (AH)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (AI)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, (AJ)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a [m]whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “(AK)My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see [n]Elijah again. Then (AL)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had (AM)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when (AN)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case (AO)the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17 Yet when (AP)they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land [o]is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt [p]in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring of water and (AQ)threw salt [q]in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have [r]purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or [s]unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been [t]purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and (AR)ridiculed him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he (AS)cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two [u]of the boys. 25 He then went on from there to (AT)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Acts 13:42-14:7

42 As [a]Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these [b]things spoken to them the next (A)Sabbath. 43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the (B)God-fearing [c](C)proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in (D)the grace of God.

Paul Turns to the Gentiles

44 The next (E)Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of [d]the Lord. 45 But when (F)the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were [e]blaspheming. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you (G)first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, (H)we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us,

(I)I have appointed You as a (J)light [f]to the Gentiles,
That You may [g]bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying (K)the word of [h]the Lord; and all who (L)had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And (M)the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50 But (N)the Jews incited the [i](O)devout women (P)of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their [j]region. 51 But (Q)they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to (R)Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually (S)filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acceptance and Opposition

14 In (T)Iconium (U)they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a way (V)that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of (W)Greeks. But (X)the [k](Y)unbelieving Jews stirred up the [l]minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against (Z)the brothers. Therefore they spent a long time there (AA)speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that [m](AB)signs and wonders be performed by their hands. (AC)But the [n]people of the city were divided; and some [o]sided with (AD)the Jews, while others, with (AE)the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and (AF)the Jews with their rulers, to treat them abusively and to (AG)stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of (AH)Lycaonia, (AI)Lystra and (AJ)Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to (AK)preach the gospel.

Psalm 139

God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

139 Lord, You have (A)searched me and known me.
You (B)know [a]when I sit down and [b]when I get up;
You (C)understand my thought from far away.
You [c](D)scrutinize my [d]path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
[e]Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, Lord, You (E)know it all.
You have (F)encircled me behind and in front,
And (G)placed Your hand upon me.
Such (H)knowledge is (I)too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

(J)Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
(K)If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [f]Sheol, behold, (L)You are there.
If I take up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will (M)lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the (N)darkness will [g]overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even (O)darkness is not dark [h]to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
(P)Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You (Q)created my innermost parts;
You (R)wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because [i]I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
(S)Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [j](T)frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the (U)depths of the earth;
16 Your (V)eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in (W)Your book were written
All the (X)days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your (Y)thoughts for me, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would (Z)outnumber the sand.
When (AA)I awake, I am still with You.

19 If only You would (AB)put the wicked to death, God;
(AC)Leave me, (AD)you men of bloodshed.
20 For they (AE)speak [k]against You wickedly,
And Your enemies [l](AF)take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not (AG)hate those who hate You, Lord?
And do I not (AH)loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

23 (AI)Search me, God, and know my heart;
(AJ)Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there is any [m](AK)hurtful way in me,
And (AL)lead me in the (AM)everlasting way.

Proverbs 17:19-21

19 One who (A)loves wrongdoing loves strife;
One who (B)makes his doorway high seeks destruction.
20 One who has a crooked [a]mind (C)finds nothing good,
And one who is [b](D)corrupted in his language falls into evil.
21 He who (E)fathers a fool does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

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