Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
16 1 David prayeth to God for succor not for his works, but for his faith’s sake. 4 Protesting that he hateth all idolatry, taking God only for his comfort and felicity. 8 Who suffereth his to lack nothing.
[a]Michtam of David.
1 Preserve me, O GOD: for in thee do I [b]trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my [c]well doing extendeth not to thee,
3 But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent: all my delight is in them.
4 The [d]sorrows of them, that offer to another god, shall be multiplied: [e]their offerings of blood will I not offer, neither make (A)mention of their names with my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou shalt maintain my lot.
6 The [f]lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have a fair heritage.
7 I will praise the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my [g]reins also teach me in the nights.
8 I have set the Lord always before me: for he is at my right hand: therefore I [h]shall not slide.
9 Wherefore [i]mine heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth: my flesh also doth rest in hope.
10 For thou [j]wilt not leave my soul in the grave: neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy [k]presence is the fullness of joy: and at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
The Second Book of the Kings
1 2 Ahaziah by a fall falleth sick, and consulteth with Baal-Zebub. 3 He is reproved by Elijah. 10 The captains over fifty were sent to Elijah, whereof two were burnt with fire from heaven by his prayer. 17 Ahaziah dieth, and Jehoram his brother succeedeth him.
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab:
2 And [a]Ahaziah fell through the lattice window in his upper chamber which was in Samaria: so he was sick: then he sent messengers, to whom he said, Go, and inquire of [b]Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, if I shall recover of this my disease.
3 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, and go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, [c]Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron?
4 Wherefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death. So Elijah departed.
5 And the messengers returned unto him, to whom he said, Why are ye now returned?
6 And they answered him, There came a man and met us, and said unto us, Go, and return unto the king which sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, [d]Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed, on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death.
7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came and met you, and told you these words?
8 And they said unto him, He was an [e]hairy man, and girded with a girdle of leather about his loins. Then said he, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
9 Therefore the King sent unto him a captain over fifty with his fifty men, who went up unto him: for behold, he sat on the top [f]of a mountain, and he said unto him, O man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come down.
10 But Elijah answered, and said to the captain over the fifty, If that I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heaven, and devour thee and thy fifty. [g]So fire came down from the heaven and devoured him and his fifty.
11 Again also he sent unto him another captain over fifty with his fifty. Who spake, and said unto him, [h]O man of God, thus the King commandeth, Come down quickly.
12 But Elijah answered, and said unto them, [i]If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heaven and devour thee and thy fifty. So fire came down from the heaven, and devoured him and his fifty.
13 ¶ Yet again he sent the third captain over fifty with his fifty. And the third captain over fifty went up, and came, and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my [j]life and the life of these thy fifty servants be [k]precious in thy sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from the heaven, and devoured the two former captains over fifty with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15 And the Angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him, be [l]not afraid of his presence. So he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, (was it not because there was no God in Israel to inquire of his word?) therefore thou shalt not come down off the bed, on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death.
8 [a]But even then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which by nature are not gods:
9 But now seeing ye know God, yea, rather are known of God, how turn ye again unto impotent and [b]beggarly rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage [c]again?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am in fear of you, lest I have bestowed on you labor in vain.
12 [d]Be ye as I (for I am even as you) brethren, I beseech you: ye have not hurt me at all.
13 And ye know, how through [e]infirmity of the flesh, I preached the Gospel unto you at the first.
14 And the [f]trial of me which was in my flesh, ye despised not, neither abhorred: but ye received me as an Angel of God, yea, as [g]Christ Jesus.
15 [h]What was then your felicity? for I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them unto me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They are jealous over you [i]amiss: yea, they would exclude you, [j]that ye should altogether love them.
18 But it is a good thing to love [k]earnestly always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you,
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you.
20 And I would I were with you now, that I might [l]change my voice: for I am in doubt of you.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.