Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 125[a]
God, Protector of His People
1 A song of ascents.
Those who put their trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but stands fast forever.[b]
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.[c]
3 The scepter of the wicked will not prevail
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not be tempted
to turn their hands to evil.[d]
4 [e]Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to those who are upright of heart.[f]
5 But the Lord will assign to the ranks of the evildoers
those who turn their hearts to wickedness.[g]
May peace be granted to Israel.
Chapter 18
Elijah and Ahab. 1 Now after quite some time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 2 Elijah went and showed himself to Ahab. There was a severe famine in Samaria.
3 Ahab summoned Obadiah, the major-domo of his household. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the Lord. 4 When Jezebel cut down the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took one hundred of the prophets and he hid them by fifties in a cave, and he provided them with bread and water.) 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land where there are springs of water and through all the wadis. Perhaps you will find some green grass for the horses and donkeys so that we might not lose all of the animals.”
6 They divided the land between them, and they went through it. Ahab went in one direction, and Obadiah went in the other direction by himself. 7 As Obadiah was going along, he met Elijah. He recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is that you, my lord, Elijah?” 8 He said to him, “It is I. Go and tell your lord: ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ”
9 But he answered, “How have I sinned that you would hand your servant over to Ahab so that he will kill me? 10 As the Lord, your God, lives, there is no land or kingdom into which my lord has not sent to search for you. When they said, ‘he is not here,’ he made the kingdom and the nation swear an oath that they could not find you. 11 And now you are telling me, ‘Go tell your lord: “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’ 12 When I have left you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you off to some unknown place. When I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill your servant who has feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Has it not been reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets by fifties in a cave and provided them with bread and water? 14 But now you are telling me, ‘Go, tell your lord: “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’ He will kill me.”
15 Elijah answered, “As the Lord of hosts before whom I stand lives, I will surely show myself to him today.”
16 So Obadiah went to Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” 18 He answered, “It is not I who have troubled Israel. It is you and your father’s household who have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and have followed after Baal.
The Christian Warfare[a]
10 Put On the Armor of God. Finally, find your strength in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the deceit of the devil. 12 For we are not struggling against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, the powers, and the cosmic rulers of this present darkness, and against the spirits of evil in the heavens.
13 Therefore, put on the armor of God, so that you will be able to hold fast on the evil day and to hold your ground with all your strength. 14 Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness clothing you, 15 and with your feet shod in zeal to proclaim the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances, hold in your hand the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation as well as the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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