Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 I will listen to what God will say;
surely the Lord will declare peace
to His people, His godly ones,
and not let them go back to foolish ways.(A)
9 His salvation is very near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.(B)
10 Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.(C)
11 Truth will spring up from the earth,
and righteousness will look down from heaven.(D)
12 Also, the Lord will provide what is good,
and our land will yield its crops.(E)
13 Righteousness will go before Him
to prepare the way for His steps.(F)
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?”(A)
18 He replied, “I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands(B) and followed the Baals.(C) 19 Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel,(D) along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah(E) who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down:(A) 31 Elijah took 12 stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel will be your name”(B)— 32 and he built an altar(C) with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.[a][b] 33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, “Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “A second time!” and they did it a second time. And then he said, “A third time!” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.
36 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice,(D) Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,(E) today let it be known(F) that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things. 37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God(G) and that You have turned their hearts back.”
38 Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown(H) and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”(I)
40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal!(J) Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon(K) and slaughtered them there.(L)
The Eloquent Apollos
24 A Jew named Apollos,(A) a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was powerful in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit,[a] he spoke and taught the things about Jesus accurately, although he knew only John’s baptism.(B) 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home[b] and explained the way of God to him more accurately.(C) 27 When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples urging them to welcome him. After he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace.(D) 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.(E)
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