Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 93
1 Yahweh rules as king! He is clothed with majesty.
Yahweh has clothed himself; he has armed himself with power.
The world was set in place; it cannot be moved.
2 Your throne was set in place a long time ago.
You are eternal.
3 The ocean rises, O Yahweh.
The ocean rises with a roar.
The ocean rises with its pounding waves.
4 Yahweh above is mighty—
mightier than the sound of raging water,
mightier than the foaming waves of the sea.
5 Your written testimonies are completely reliable.
O Yahweh, holiness is what makes your house beautiful for days without end.
Elijah Taken to Heaven
2 When Yahweh was going to take Elijah to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because Yahweh is sending me to Bethel.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Bethel.
3 Some of the disciples of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They asked him, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master from you today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
4 Elijah said, “Elisha, please stay here because Yahweh is sending me to Jericho.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 Then some of the disciples of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha. They asked, “Do you know that Yahweh is going to take your master from you today?”
He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”
6 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because Yahweh is sending me to the Jordan River.”
Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as Yahweh lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.”
7 Fifty disciples of the prophets stood at a distance as Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan River. 8 Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed the river on dry ground.
9 While they were crossing, Elijah asked Elisha, “What should I do for you before I’m taken from you?”
Elisha answered, “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.”
10 Elijah said, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me taken from you, it will be yours. Otherwise, it will not.”
11 As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
12 When Elisha saw this, he cried out, “Master! Master! Israel’s chariot and horses!” When he couldn’t see Elijah anymore, he grabbed his own garment and tore it in two to show his grief.
God Saved Us because of His Great Love for Us
2 You were once dead because of your failures and sins. 2 You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us once lived among these people, and followed the desires of our corrupt nature. We did what our corrupt desires and thoughts wanted us to do. So, because of our nature, we deserved God’s anger just like everyone else.
4 But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us. 5 We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness[a] that saved you.) 6 God has brought us back to life together with Christ Yeshua and has given us a position in heaven with him. 7 He did this through Christ Yeshua out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.