Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says.[a]
For he will make[b] peace with his people, his faithful followers.[c]
Yet they must not[d] return to their foolish ways.
9 Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance;[e]
then his splendor will again appear in our land.[f]
10 Loyal love and faithfulness meet;[g]
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss.[h]
11 Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky.[i]
12 Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings,[j]
and our land will yield[k] its crops.
13 Deliverance goes[l] before him,
and prepares[m] a pathway for him.[n]
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he[a] said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on[b] Israel?” 18 Elijah[c] replied, “I have not brought disaster on[d] Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 19 Now send out messengers[e] and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.”[f]
30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.[a] 31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord’s message had come, “Israel will be your name.”[b] 32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord.[c] Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs[d] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” 34 When they had done so,[e] he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 36 When it was time for the evening offering,[f] Elijah the prophet approached the altar[g] and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove[h] today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God[i] and that you are winning back their allegiance.”[j] 38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky.[k] It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God![l] The Lord is the true God!” 40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed[m] them there.
Apollos Begins His Ministry
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker,[a] well-versed[b] in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in[c] the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm[d] he spoke and taught accurately the facts[e] about Jesus, although he knew[f] only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak out fearlessly[g] in the synagogue,[h] but when Priscilla and Aquila[i] heard him, they took him aside[j] and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When Apollos[k] wanted to cross over to Achaia,[l] the brothers encouraged[m] him[n] and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he[o] assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously[p] in public debate,[q] demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ[r] was Jesus.[s]
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