Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Elijah in the Whirlwind

2 The time had come for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven^(A) in a whirlwind.^(B) Elijah and Elisha^(C) were traveling from Gilgal,^{(D) 2} and Elijah said to Elisha,^(E) “Stay here;^(F) the Lord is sending me on to Bethel.”^(G)

But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”^(H) So they went down to Bethel.

³ Then the sons of the prophets^(I) who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”^(J)

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

⁴ Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”^(K)

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

⁵ Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

⁶ Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.”^(L)

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

⁷ Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood facing them from a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸ Elijah took his mantle,^(M) rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.^{(N) 9} After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares^[a] of your spirit.”^(O)

¹⁰ Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you,^(P) you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

¹¹ As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire^(Q) suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind.^{(R) 12} As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”^(S) Then he never saw Elijah again. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.^(T)

Psalm 50

God as Judge

A psalm of Asaph.^(A)

³ But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case, the god of this age^(A) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,^[a](B) who is the image of God.^{(C) 5} For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord,^(D) and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. ⁶ For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^(E) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge^(F) of God’s glory^(G) in the face of Jesus Christ.

The Transfiguration

² After^(A) six days^(B) Jesus took Peter, James, and John^(C) and led them up on a high mountain^(D) by themselves to be alone. He was transformed^[a](E) in front of them, ³ and His clothes^(F) became dazzling—extremely white^(G) as no launderer on earth could whiten^(H) them. ⁴ Elijah^(I) appeared to them with Moses,^(J) and they were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^(K) it’s good^(L) for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles:^(M) one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— ⁶ because he did not know what he should say,^(N) since they were terrified.^(O)

⁷ A cloud^(P) appeared, overshadowing^(Q) them, and a voice^(R) came from the cloud:^(S)

⁸ Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.

⁹ As^(W) they were coming down from the mountain,^(X) He ordered them to tell no one what they had seen^(Y) until the Son of Man^(Z) had risen^(AA) from the dead.^(AB)