Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Elijah Makes a Swift Departure
2 Just before[a] the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. 2 Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they traveled on together. 7 The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance, while Elijah and Elisha[a] stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you,[b] before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you?”[c] 10 Elijah[d] replied, “That’s a difficult request![e] If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.”
11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot[f] pulled by fiery horses appeared.[g] They went between Elijah and Elisha,[h] and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm. 12 While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”[i] Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two. 13 He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah,[j] hit the water with it, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord.
Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago.[a]
12 I will think about all you have done;
I will reflect upon your deeds.”
13 [b] O God, your deeds are extraordinary.[c]
What god can compare to our great God?[d]
14 You are the God who does amazing things;
you have revealed your strength among the nations.
15 You delivered[e] your people by your strength[f]—
the children of Jacob and Joseph. (Selah)
16 The waters[g] saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and trembled.[h]
Yes, the depths of the sea[i] shook with fear.[j]
17 The clouds poured down rain;[k]
the skies thundered.[l]
Yes, your arrows[m] flashed about.
18 Your thunderous voice was heard in the wind;
the lightning bolts lit up the world.
The earth trembled and shook.[n]
19 You walked through the sea;[o]
you passed through the surging waters,[p]
but left no footprints.[q]
20 You led your people like a flock of sheep,
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Practice Love
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;[a] only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh,[b] but through love serve one another.[c] 14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment,[d] namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”[e] 15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another,[f] beware that you are not consumed[g] by one another. 16 But I say, live[h] by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.[i] 17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires[j] that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to[k] each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh[l] are obvious:[m] sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 20 idolatry, sorcery,[n] hostilities,[o] strife,[p] jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions,[q] factions, 21 envying,[r] murder,[s] drunkenness, carousing,[t] and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
22 But the fruit of the Spirit[u] is love,[v] joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,[w] 23 gentleness, and[x] self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ[y] have crucified the flesh[z] with its passions[aa] and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with[ab] the Spirit.
Rejection in Samaria
51 Now when[a] the days drew near[b] for him to be taken up,[c] Jesus[d] set out resolutely[e] to go to Jerusalem. 52 He[f] sent messengers on ahead of him.[g] As they went along,[h] they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance[i] for him, 53 but the villagers[j] refused to welcome[k] him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.[l] 54 Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume[m] them?”[n] 55 But Jesus[o] turned and rebuked them,[p] 56 and they went on to another village.
Challenging Professed Followers
57 As[q] they were walking[r] along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”[s] 58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky[t] have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”[u] 59 Jesus[v] said to another, “Follow me.” But he replied,[w] “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus[x] said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead,[y] but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”[z] 61 Yet[aa] another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.”[ab] 62 Jesus[ac] said to him, “No one who puts his[ad] hand to the plow and looks back[ae] is fit for the kingdom of God.”[af]
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