Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Remembering God’s Help for Israel

For the music director, on Jeduthun.^[a]

Of Asaph. A psalm.^[b]

Elijah and the Messengers of Ahaziah

1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. ² Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice in his upper room, which was in Samaria, and he was injured. So he sent messengers, and he said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.”

³ Then the angel of Yahweh spoke to Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and speak to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ ⁴ Therefore, thus says Yahweh, ‘The bed upon which you have gone, you will not come down from it, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went.

⁵ When the messengers returned to him, he asked them, “Why have you returned?” ⁶ Then they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and he said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and speak to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron? Therefore the bed upon which you have gone, you will not come down from it, for you will surely die.’”’” ⁷ Then he spoke to them, “What was the manner of the man who came up to meet you and spoke to you all these things?” ⁸ They answered him, “A hairy man^[a] with a leather belt girded around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

⁹ So Ahaziah^[b] sent to him the commander of fifty with his fifty men, and he went up to him while he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” ¹⁰ Then Elijah answered and said to the commander of the fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty!” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

¹¹ So he again sent^[c] another commander of fifty and his fifty men. He answered and said to him, “O man of God, thus says the king, ‘Come down quickly!’” ¹² Then Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty!” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

Do Not Be Enslaved Again

⁸ But at that time when you^[a] did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them^[b] all over again? ¹⁰ You carefully observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I have labored for you in vain! ¹² I ask you, brothers, become like me, because I also have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

Paul’s Personal Appeal

¹³ But you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time. ¹⁴ And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me! ¹⁶ So then, have I become your enemy by^[c] being truthful to you? ¹⁷ They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they want to exclude you, in order that you may seek them zealously. ¹⁸ But it is good to be sought zealously in good at all times, and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹ My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you! ²⁰ But I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone because I am perplexed about you.