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.
6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.”(A)
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 observing them at a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle,(B) rolled it up, and struck the water, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground.(C) 9 When 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 of your spirit.”(D)
10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you,(E) you will have it. If not, you won’t.”
11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire(F) suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind.(G) 12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” (H)
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
When he could see him no longer, he took hold of his own clothes, tore them in two,(I) 13 picked up the mantle(J) that had fallen off Elijah, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle Elijah had dropped, and he struck the water. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the water himself, and it parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.
11 I will remember the Lord’s works;
yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.(A)
12 I will reflect on all you have done
and meditate on your actions.(B)
13 God, your way is holy.
What god is great like God?(C)
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you revealed your strength among the peoples.(D)
15 With power you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.(E)Selah
16 The water saw you, God.
The water saw you; it trembled.
Even the depths shook.(F)
17 The clouds poured down water.
The storm clouds thundered;
your arrows flashed back and forth.(G)
18 The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
lightning lit up the world.(H)
The earth shook and quaked.(I)
19 Your way went through the sea
and your path through the vast water,
but your footprints were unseen.(J)
20 You led your people like a flock(K)
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.(L)
13 For you were called(A) to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity[a] for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled(B) in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.[b](C) 15 But if you bite and devour(D) one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
The Spirit versus the Flesh
16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit(E) and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires(F) what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.(G) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious:[c] sexual immorality,(H) moral impurity,(I) promiscuity,(J) 20 idolatry,(K) sorcery,(L) hatreds,(M) strife,(N) jealousy,(O) outbursts of anger,(P) selfish ambitions,(Q) dissensions,(R) factions,(S) 21 envy,[d](T) drunkenness, carousing,(U) and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.(V)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit(W) is love,(X) joy,(Y) peace, patience,(Z) kindness,(AA) goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,(AB) and self-control.(AC) The law is not against such things.[e] 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus(AD) have crucified the flesh(AE) with its passions and desires.(AF) 25 If we live(AG) by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
The Journey to Jerusalem
51 When the days were coming to a close for him to be taken up,(A) he determined[a](B) to journey to Jerusalem.(C) 52 He sent messengers ahead of himself,(D) and on the way they entered a village of the Samaritans(E) to make preparations for him. 53 But they did not welcome him, because he determined to journey to Jerusalem.(F) 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” [b](G)
55 But he turned and rebuked them,[c] 56 and they went to another village.
Following Jesus
57 As they were traveling on the road someone said to him,(H) “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 Then he said to another, “Follow me.”
“Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”
60 But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”(I)
61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.”(J)
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
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