Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Elijah Confronts Ahab

18 Now it was after many days that the word of Adonai came to Elijah in the third year saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; then I will send rain on the land. ² So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab.

Now the famine was severe in Samaria. ³ Ahab summoned Obadiah who was the steward of the palace. Now Obadiah feared Adonai greatly— ⁴ for when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Adonai, Obadiah took 100 prophets, hid them 50 to a cave, and provided them with bread and water. ⁵ Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the wadis. Perhaps we may find grass and so keep the horses and mules alive and not lose all the animals.” ⁶ So they divided the land between them to explore it—Ahab went one way by himself while Obadiah went another way by himself.

⁷ As Obadiah was on the road, all of a sudden, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”

⁸ “It is I,” he answered him. Go tell your lord, ‘Look, Elijah is here!”

⁹ “How have I sinned,” he replied, “that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death? ¹⁰ As Adonai your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you.

¹¹ “Now you’re saying, ‘Go tell your lord, “Look, Elijah is here!”’ ¹² But as soon as I leave you, the Ruach Adonai may carry you off where I wouldn’t know. Then, when I come and tell Ahab and he can’t find you, he’ll kill me! Now I, your servant, have feared Adonai since my youth. ¹³ Wasn’t my lord told what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of Adonai—how I hid 100 of Adonai’s prophets, 50 to a cave and provided them with bread and water? ¹⁴ So now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Look, Elijah is here!’” He’ll kill me!”

¹⁵ Then Elijah said, “As Adonai-Tzva’ot lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”

¹⁶ So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; then, Ahab went to meet Elijah.

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. Upon arrival, they made their way to the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, because they received the message with goodwill, searching the Scriptures each day to see whether these things were true. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, as well as quite a few prominent Greek women and men.

¹³ But when the Jewish people of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came there too, agitating and inciting the people. ¹⁴ Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. ¹⁵ Those escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens. After receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.