Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹⁷ Now when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, the one who causes trouble for Israel?”

¹⁸ But he answered, “I have not troubled Israel. Rather, it is you and your father’s house—by forsaking the mitzvot of Adonai and going after the Baalim. ¹⁹ Now then, send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came closer to him. Then he repaired the damaged altar of Adonai. ³¹ Elijah took twelve stones—like the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Adonai had come saying, “Israel shall be your name”— ³² and with the stones he built an altar in the Name of Adonai. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. ³³ Then he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood.

³⁴ Then he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” Then he said, “A second time!” and they did it a second time. Then he said, “A third time!” and they did it a third time. ³⁵ So the water ran around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

³⁶ Now it was at the time of offering up the evening sacrifice that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Adonai, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel,^[a] let it be known today that You are God in Israel, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. ³⁷ Answer me, Adonai, answer me, so that these people may know that You, Adonai, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”

³⁸ Then the fire of Adonai fell and consumed the burnt offering—and the wood, the stones and the dust—and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and they said, “Adonai, He is God! Adonai, He is God!”

⁴⁰ Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Let not a single one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon and slew them there.

Discipling New Leaders

²⁴ Now a Jewish man named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, well versed in the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. With a fervent spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the facts about Yeshua—while only being acquainted with the immersion of John. ²⁶ This man began speaking out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. Upon arrival, he greatly helped those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he powerfully refuted the Jewish people in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that the Messiah was Yeshua.