Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴¹ Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat, and drink, for I hear the sound of heavy rain.” ⁴² Ahab went to eat and drink, and Elijah climbed up to the top of Carmel. He cast himself down to the ground and placed his face between his knees.

⁴³ He said to his servant, “Go, now, and look out toward the sea.” He went and looked and said, “There is nothing.” Seven times he told him, “Go again.” ⁴⁴ The seventh time he said, “Behold, there is a small cloud like the shape of a man’s hand rising from out of the sea.” He said, “Go tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”

⁴⁵ Meanwhile, the skies grew dark with clouds, the wind rose up, and it poured. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ The hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins^[a] and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Chapter 16

The Demand for a Sign.^{[a] 1} The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to put him to the test they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ² He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘Tomorrow there will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ An evil and adulterous^[b] generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.