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.
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please (A)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (B)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 (C)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 (D)took his mantle and folded it together and (E)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 (F)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (G)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 (H)a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a [a]whirlwind to heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “(I)My father, my father, the [b]chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw [c]Elijah no more. Then (J)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 (K)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
Comfort in Trouble from Recalling God’s Mighty Deeds.
For the choir director; [a]according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
11 I shall remember the (A)deeds of [a]the Lord;
Surely I will (B)remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will (C)meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is (D)holy;
(E)What god is great like our God?
14 You are the (F)God who works wonders;
You have (G)made known Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have by Your [b]power (H)redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and (I)Joseph. Selah.
16 The (J)waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
The deeps also trembled.
17 The (K)clouds poured out water;
The skies (L)gave forth a sound;
Your (M)arrows [c]flashed here and there.
18 The (N)sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The (O)lightnings lit up the world;
The (P)earth trembled and shook.
19 Your (Q)way was in the sea
And Your paths in the mighty waters,
And Your footprints may not be known.
20 You (R)led Your people like a flock
By the hand of (S)Moses and Aaron.
13 For you were called to (A)freedom, brethren; (B)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love (C)serve one another. 14 For (D)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “(E)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you (F)bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, (G)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out (H)the desire of the flesh. 17 For (I)the flesh [a]sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, (J)so that you may not do the things that you [b]please. 18 But if you are (K)led by the Spirit, (L)you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [c](M)immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, (N)sorcery, enmities, (O)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, (P)disputes, dissensions, [d](Q)factions, 21 envying, (R)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not (S)inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But (T)the fruit of the Spirit is (U)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, (V)self-control; against such things (W)there is no law. 24 Now those who [e]belong to (X)Christ Jesus have (Y)crucified the flesh with its passions and (Z)desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also [f]walk (AA)by the Spirit.
51 When the days were approaching for (A)His [a]ascension, He [b]was determined (B)to go to Jerusalem; 52 and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the (C)Samaritans to [c]make arrangements for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, (D)because [d]He was traveling toward Jerusalem. 54 When His disciples (E)James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to (F)command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, [[e]and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; 56 for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village.
Exacting Discipleship
57 (G)As they were going along the road, (H)someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the [f]air have [g]nests, but (I)the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “(J)Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and (K)proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but (L)first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “(M)No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.