Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Elijah Taken to Heaven

2 And it came about when the Lord was about to ^(A)take up Elijah by a ^[a]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with ^(B)Elisha from ^(C)Gilgal. ² Elijah said to Elisha, “^(D)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as ^(E)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “^(F)As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. ³ Then ^(G)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over ^[b]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

⁴ Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please ^(H)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to ^(I)Jericho.” But he said, “^(J)As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. ^5 (K)The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “^(L)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over ^[c]you today?” And he ^[d]answered, “Yes, I know; be still.” ⁶ Then Elijah said to him, “Please ^(M)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to ^(N)the Jordan.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

⁷ Now ^(O)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸ Elijah ^(P)took his mantle and folded it together and ^(Q)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

⁹ When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a ^(R)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” ¹⁰ He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you ^(S)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” ¹¹ As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared ^(T)a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a ^[e]whirlwind to heaven. ¹² Elisha saw it and cried out, “^(U)My father, my father, the ^[f]chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw ^[g]Elijah no more. Then ^(V)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. ¹³ He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had ^(W)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

¹⁵ Now when ^(X)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

^5 (A)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named ^[a]Zacharias, of the ^(B)division of ^[b]Abijah; and he had a wife ^[c]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ They were both ^(C)righteous in the sight of God, walking ^(D)blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in ^[d]years.

⁸ Now it happened that while ^(E)he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot ^(F)to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer ^(G)outside at the hour of the incense offering. ¹¹ And ^(H)an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹² Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^(I)fear ^[e]gripped him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “^(J)Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^(K)you will ^[f]give him the name John. ¹⁴ You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will ^(L)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^[g]while yet in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will ^(M)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ It is he who will ^(N)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of ^(O)Elijah, ^(P)to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to ^(Q)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”