Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace(A) to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.(B)
9 Surely his salvation(C) is near those who fear him,
that his glory(D) may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness(E) meet together;
righteousness(F) and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness(G) looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,(H)
and our land will yield(I) its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler(A) of Israel?”
18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you(B) and your father’s family have. You have abandoned(C) the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon(D) the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel.(E) And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”(F)
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar(A) of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”(B) 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name(C) of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs[a] of seed. 33 He arranged(D) the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”
34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.
“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
36 At the time(E) of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham,(F) Isaac and Israel, let it be known(G) today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.(H) 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know(I) that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
38 Then the fire(J) of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate(K) and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”(L)
40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley(M) and slaughtered(N) there.
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,(A) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.(B) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a](C) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.(D) 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila(E) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,(F) the brothers and sisters(G) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures(H) that Jesus was the Messiah.(I)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.