Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Drought Ends

⁴¹ Then Elijah told Ahab, “Get up, eat, and drink. It sounds like a heavy rain ⌞is coming⌟.” ⁴² Ahab got up to eat and drink.

Elijah went to the top of Carmel and bowed down on the ground to pray. ⁴³ He said to his servant, “Please go back to ⌞Mount Carmel⌟, and look toward the sea.”

He went up, looked, ⌞came back,⌟ and said, “There’s nothing.”

Seven times Elijah told him, “Go back.”

⁴⁴ After the seventh time the servant said, “A little cloud like a man’s hand is coming from the sea.”

Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare ⌞your chariot⌟, and leave before the rain delays you.’ ”

⁴⁵ Gradually, the sky grew darker with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab got into his chariot to go back to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ The Lord’s power was on Elijah. He hiked up his robe and ran ahead of Ahab until they came to Jezreel.

The Pharisees Ask for a Sign from Heaven^(A)

16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. So they asked him to show them a miraculous sign from heaven.

² He responded to them, “In the evening you say that the weather will be fine because the sky is red. ³ And in the morning you say that there will be a storm today because the sky is red and overcast. You can forecast the weather by judging the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

⁴ “Evil and unfaithful people look for a miraculous sign. But the only sign they will be given is that of Jonah.”

Then he left them standing there and went away.