Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the music director; with stringed instruments, ^[a]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

The Axe Head Recovered

6 Now ^(A)the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place ^[a]before you where we are living is too cramped for us. ² Please let us go to the Jordan, and let us each take from there a beam, and let us construct a place there for ourselves, to live there.” So he said, “Go.” ³ Then one of them said, “Please agree and go with your servants.” And he said, “I will go.” ⁴ So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. ⁵ But it happened that as one of them was ^[b]cutting down a beam, ^[c]the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Oh, my master! It was borrowed!” ⁶ Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, ^(B)he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. ⁷ Then he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

¹³ “^(A)Woe to you, ^(B)Chorazin! Woe to you, ^(C)Bethsaida! For if the ^[a]miracles that occurred in you had occurred in ^(D)Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in ^[b](E)sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be more tolerable for ^(F)Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, ^(G)Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!

¹⁶ “^(H)The one who listens to you listens to Me, and ^(I)the one who rejects you rejects Me; but the one who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”