Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Elijah Taken to Heaven
2 Now it came about, when the Lord was about to (A)bring Elijah up by a [a]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left (B)Gilgal with (C)Elisha. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “(D)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as (E)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(F)As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then (G)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over [b]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”
4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (H)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (I)Jericho.” But he said, “(J)As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 Then (K)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(L)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [c]you today?” And he [d]answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” 6 And Elijah said to him, “Please (M)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (N)the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7 Now (O)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah (P)took his coat, folded it, and (Q)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a (R)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (S)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, (T)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a [e]whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “(U)My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see [f]Elijah again. Then (V)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
God, the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.
A Psalm of [a]Asaph.
50 (A)The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken
And summoned the earth, (B)from [b]the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, (C)the perfection of beauty,
God (D)has shone.
3 May our God (E)come and not keep silent;
(F)Fire devours before Him,
And a storm is violently (G)raging around Him.
4 He (H)summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5 “Gather My (I)godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a (J)covenant with Me by (K)sacrifice.”
6 And the (L)heavens declare His righteousness,
For (M)God Himself is judge. Selah
3 And even if our (A)gospel is (B)veiled, it is veiled [a]to (C)those who are perishing, 4 in whose case (D)the god of (E)this [b]world has (F)blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that [c]they will not see the (G)light of the gospel of the (H)glory of Christ, who is the (I)image of God. 5 For we (J)do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants [d]on account of Jesus. 6 For God, who said, “(K)Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has (L)shone in our hearts to give the (M)Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
2 (A)And six days later Jesus *took with Him (B)Peter, [a]James, and John, and *brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was [b]transfigured before them; 3 and (C)His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter responded and *said to Jesus, “(D)Rabbi, it is good that we are here; (E)let’s make three [c]tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know how to reply; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud [d]formed, overshadowing them, and (F)a voice [e]came out of the cloud: “(G)This is My beloved Son; [f]listen to Him!” 8 And suddenly they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.
9 (H)As they were coming down from the mountain, He (I)gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, [g]until the Son of Man rose from the dead.
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