Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
24 How (A)numerous are Your works, O Yahweh!
[a]In (B)wisdom You have made them all;
The (C)earth is full of Your [b]possessions.
25 This is the (D)sea, great and [c]broad,
There the creeping things are without number,
Creatures both small and great.
26 There the (E)ships move along,
And [d](F)Leviathan, which You have formed to play in it.
27 They all (G)wait for You
To (H)give them their food in [e]due season.
28 You give to them, they gather it up;
You (I)open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29 You (J)hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You (K)take away their [f]spirit, they breathe their last
And (L)return to their dust.
30 You send forth Your [g](M)Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.
31 Let the (N)glory of Yahweh endure forever;
Let Yahweh (O)be glad in His works;
32 [h]He (P)looks at the earth, and it (Q)trembles;
He (R)touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 [i]I will sing to Yahweh (S)throughout my life;
[j]I will (T)sing praise to my God [k]while I have my being.
34 Let my (U)musing be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall (V)be glad in Yahweh.
Elijah Taken to Heaven
2 Now it happened when Yahweh was about to (A)take up Elijah by a [a]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with (B)Elisha from (C)Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “(D)Stay here please, for Yahweh has sent me as far as (E)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(F)As Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then (G)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from over [b]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be silent.”
4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (H)stay here, for Yahweh has sent me to (I)Jericho.” But he said, “(J)As Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, I will not forsake you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 (K)Then the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(L)Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from over [c]you today?” And he [d]answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please (M)stay here, for Yahweh has sent me to (N)the Jordan.” And he said, “As Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, I will not forsake 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, but the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah (P)took his mantle and folded it together and (Q)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 Now it happened when they crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall 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 And 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 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared (T)a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and it separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a [e]whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was seeing this and he was crying out, “(U)My father, my father, the [f]chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw [g]Elijah no more. Then (V)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” Indeed, he himself also (W)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there! And Elisha crossed over.
Elisha Has the Spirit of Elijah
15 Then (X)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him and said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold
5 (A)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the (B)division of [a]Abijah, and he had a wife [b]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both (C)righteous in the sight of God, walking (D)blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the [c]Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in [d]years.
8 Now it happened that while (E)he was performing his priestly service before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot (F)to enter the [e]sanctuary of the [f]Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying (G)outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And (H)an angel of the [g]Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and (I)fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “(J)Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will [h]bear you a son, and (K)you will call his name [i]John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the [j]Lord; and (L)he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [k]while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will (M)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the [l]Lord their God. 17 And he will (N)go before Him in the spirit and power of (O)Elijah, (P)to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to (Q)make ready a people prepared for the [m]Lord.”
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