Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Elisha Becomes a Prophet

¹⁹ So Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing a field with a team of oxen. There were 11 teams ahead of him. Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team of oxen. Elijah came up to Elisha. Elijah took off his coat and put it on Elisha. ²⁰ Then Elisha left his oxen and ran to follow Elijah. Elisha said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother good-bye. Then I will go with you.”

Elijah answered, “That is fine. Go back. I won’t stop you.”

²¹ So Elisha went back. He took his pair of oxen and killed them. He used the wooden yoke for the fire. Then he cooked the meat and gave it to the people. And they ate it. Then Elisha went and followed Elijah and became his helper.

⁹ Since the day we heard this about you, we have continued praying for you. We ask God that you will know fully what God wants. We pray that you will also have great wisdom and understanding in spiritual things. ¹⁰ Then you will live the kind of life that honors and pleases the Lord in every way. You will produce fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God. ¹¹ Then God will strengthen you with his own great power. And you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient. ¹² Then you will joyfully give thanks to the Father. He has made you^[a] able to have all that he has prepared for his people who live in the light. ¹³ God made us free from the power of darkness, and he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son. ¹⁴ The Son paid for our sins,^[b] and in him we have forgiveness.