Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 47^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

³⁶ At the time^(A) of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham,^(B) Isaac and Israel, let it be known^(C) today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.^{(D) 37} Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know^(E) that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

³⁸ Then the fire^(F) of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

³⁹ When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate^(G) and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”^(H)

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(A) do not believe every spirit,^(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(C) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(D) is from God,^{(E) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(G)

⁴ You, dear children,^(H) are from God and have overcome them,^(I) because the one who is in you^(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.^{(K) 5} They are from the world^(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[a] of truth^(N) and the spirit of falsehood.^(O)