Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁸ I will listen to what God the Lord will say. For He will speak peace to His people, to those who are right with Him. But do not let them turn again to foolish things. ⁹ For sure His saving power is near those who fear Him, so His shining-greatness may live in the land. ¹⁰ Loving-kindness and truth have met together. Peace and what is right and good have kissed each other. ¹¹ Truth comes up from the earth. And what is right and good looks down from heaven. ¹² Yes, the Lord will give what is good. And our land will give its fruit. ¹³ What is right and good will go before Him and make a way for His steps.

¹⁷ When he saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, the one who brings trouble to Israel?” ¹⁸ Elijah said, “I have not brought trouble to Israel. But you and your father’s house have. Because you have turned away from the laws of the Lord, and have followed the false gods of Baal. ¹⁹ So now call together all Israel to me at Mount Carmel. And gather together 450 men who speak for Baal and 400 men who speak for the false goddess Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he built again the altar of the Lord which had been torn down. ³¹ Then Elijah took twelve stones, by the number of the families of Jacob’s sons. The word of the Lord had come to Jacob’s sons, saying, “Israel will be your name.” ³² With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a ditch around the altar, big enough to hold twenty-two jars of seed. ³³ Then he set the wood in place. He cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt gift and on the wood.” ³⁴ Then he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. He said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. ³⁵ The water flowed around the altar, and filled the ditch also. ³⁶ Then the time came for giving the evening gift. Elijah the man who spoke for God came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel. Let it be known that I am Your servant, and have done all these things at Your word. ³⁷ Answer me, O Lord. Answer me so these people may know that You, O Lord, are God. Turn their hearts to You again.” ³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell. It burned up the burnt gift, the wood, the stones and the dust. And it picked up the water that was in the ditch. ³⁹ All the people fell on their faces when they saw it. They said, “The Lord, He is God. The Lord, He is God.” ⁴⁰ Then Elijah said to them, “Take hold of the men who speak for Baal. Do not let one of them get away.” So they took hold of them. And Elijah brought them down to the river Kishon, and killed them there.

Aquila and Priscilla Help Apollos in Ephesus

²⁴ A Jew by the name of Apollos had come to Ephesus. He was from the city of Alexandria. He could talk to people about the Holy Writings very well. ²⁵ He had been taught in the way of the Lord. And with a strong desire in his heart, he taught about Jesus. What he said was true, but he knew only about the baptism of John.

²⁶ He began to speak without fear in the Jewish place of worship. Aquila and Priscilla heard him. They took him to their house and taught him much more about the things of God. ²⁷ Apollos wanted to cross over to Greece. The Christians wrote a letter to the followers there asking them to be good to him. When he got there, he was much help to those who had put their trust in Christ. ²⁸ In front of everyone he proved with great power that the Jews were wrong. He showed from the Holy Writings that Jesus was the Christ.