Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
2 1-2 Now the time came for the Lord to take Elijah to heaven—by means of a whirlwind! Elijah said to Elisha as they left Gilgal, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”
But Elisha replied, “I swear to God that I won’t leave you!”
So they went on together to Bethel.
6-7 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan River.”
But Elisha replied as before, “I swear to God that I won’t leave you.”
So they went on together and stood beside the Jordan River as fifty of the young prophets watched from a distance. 8 Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it; and the river divided and they went across on dry ground!
9 When they arrived on the other side Elijah said to Elisha, “What wish shall I grant you before I am taken away?”
And Elisha replied, “Please grant me twice as much prophetic power as you have had.”
10 “You have asked a hard thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”
11 As they were walking along, talking, suddenly a chariot of fire, drawn by horses of fire, appeared and drove between them, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariot of Israel and the charioteers!”
As they disappeared from sight he tore his robe. 13-14 Then he picked up Elijah’s cloak and returned to the bank of the Jordan River, and struck the water with it.
“Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he cried out. And the water parted and Elisha went across!
77 I cry to the Lord; I call and call to him. Oh, that he would listen. 2 I am in deep trouble and I need his help so much. All night long I pray, lifting my hands to heaven, pleading. There can be no joy for me until he acts.
11 I recall the many miracles he did for me so long ago. 12 Those wonderful deeds are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them.
13 O God, your ways are holy. Where is there any other as mighty as you? 14 You are the God of miracles and wonders! You still demonstrate your awesome power.
15 You have redeemed us who are the sons of Jacob and of Joseph by your might. 16 When the Red Sea saw you, how it feared! It trembled to its depths! 17 The clouds poured down their rain, the thunder rolled and crackled in the sky. Your lightning flashed. 18 There was thunder in the whirlwind; the lightning lighted up the world! The earth trembled and shook.
19 Your road led by a pathway through the sea—a pathway no one knew was there! 20 You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.
5 So Christ has made us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get all tied up again in the chains of slavery to Jewish laws and ceremonies.
13 For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other. 14 For the whole Law can be summed up in this one command: “Love others as you love yourself.” 15 But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always critical and catty, watch out! Beware of ruining each other.
16 I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. 17 For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures. 18 When you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you need no longer force yourself to obey Jewish laws.
19 But when you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group—and there will be wrong doctrine, 21 envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws.
24 Those who belong to Christ have nailed their natural evil desires to his cross and crucified them there.
25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
51 As the time drew near for his return to heaven, he moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will.
52 One day he sent messengers ahead to reserve rooms for them in a Samaritan village. 53 But they were turned away! The people of the village refused to have anything to do with them because they were headed for Jerusalem.[a]
54 When word came back of what had happened, James and John said to Jesus, “Master, shall we order fire down from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them,[b] 56 and they went on to another village.
57 As they were walking along someone said to Jesus, “I will always follow you no matter where you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Remember, I don’t even own a place to lay my head. Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but I, the Messiah,[c] have no earthly home at all.”
59 Another time, when he invited a man to come with him and to be his disciple, the man agreed—but wanted to wait until his father’s death.[d]
60 Jesus replied, “Let those without eternal life concern themselves with things like that.[e] Your duty is to come and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God to all the world.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will come, but first let me ask permission of those at home.”[f]
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.