Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Like the Mountains Around Jerusalem

Psalm 125

⁹ Now as they were crossing over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I will do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

¹⁰ He replied, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so to you; but if not, it will not be so.”

¹¹ As they were walking along and talking, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. ¹² As Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “Avi! Avi! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” Then he saw him no more. So he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Elisha Takes Up the Mantle

¹³ He then picked up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him. When he returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan, ¹⁴ he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen off him, struck the waters and said, “Where is Adonai, the God of Elijah?” As he indeed struck the waters, they parted here then there. Then Elisha crossed over.

¹⁵ When the sons of the prophets at Jericho saw him some way off, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has rested on Elisha.” So they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. ¹⁶ Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are 50 strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Ruach Adonai has taken him up and cast him onto some mountain or into some valley.”

But he said, “Don’t send them.” ¹⁷ But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” So they sent 50 men. Though they searched for three days, they did not find him. ¹⁸ When they came back to him while he staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

¹⁹ Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Look now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad and the land barren.”

²⁰ He responded, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. ²¹ Then he went out to the spring of water, threw salt in it and said, “Thus says Adonai, I have healed this water. No longer will there be from there death or barrenness.” ²² So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.

¹⁷ “Now brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders did. ¹⁸ But what God foretold through the mouth of all His prophets—that His Messiah was to suffer—so He has fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent, therefore, and return—so your sins might be blotted out, ²⁰ so times of relief might come from the presence of Adonai and He might send Yeshua, the Messiah appointed for you. ²¹ Heaven must receive Him, until the time of the restoration of all the things that God spoke about long ago through the mouth of His holy prophets. ²² Moses said, ‘Adonai your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. Hear and obey Him in all that He shall say to you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul that will not listen to that Prophet shall be completely cut off from the people.’ ^{[a] 24} Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken from Samuel on have announced these days. ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and also of the covenant that God cut with your fathers,^[b] saying to Abraham, ‘In your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ ^{[c] 26} God raised up His Servant and sent Him first to you, to bless you all by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Standing Before the Sanhedrin

4 As Peter and John were speaking to the people, the kohanim and the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees came up to them. ² They were indignant because Peter and John were teaching the people and announcing in Yeshua the resurrection of the dead. ³ So they grabbed them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.