3 Kingdoms 17:1-19:9a
1 Now Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Hosts lives, the God of all Israel before whom I stand, there shall not be any dew nor rain during these years except at my word.” 2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, 3 “Depart and go eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 4 You shall drink water from the brook, and I shall command the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So Elijah went and obeyed the word of the Lord, and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he drank water from the brook. 7 But after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
Elijah Helps a Widow
8 Again the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath of Sidon and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the city, there was a widow gathering firewood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup so I can drink.” 11 She went to get it, and Elijah called after her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 But the woman said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have any bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar. You see I am gathering a couple of sticks, so I can go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 But Elijah said to her, “Take courage, and do as you say, but make me a small cake from it first and bring it to me. Afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, and the jar of oil shall not run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ” 15 So the woman went and did it. Thus she and he and her children ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, and the jar of oil did not run dry, according to the word the Lord spoke by Elijah.
17 Now after this, the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. His sickness was so serious there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? You came to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to kill my son.” 19 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. 20 Then Elijah cried out to the Lord and said, “Woe is me, O Lord! The witness of the widow with whom I lodge, you have embittered her by killing her son.” 21 Then he stretched himself out on the child three times, and called on the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, let the soul of this child come back to him.” 22 So it happened, and the child cried out. 23 He took the child and brought him down from the upper room of the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Behold, your son lives.” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.”
Elijah’s Word to Ahab
1 It came to pass many days later, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, “Go and appear to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.” 2 So Elijah went and appeared to Ahab, and there was a severe famine in Samaria. 3 Then Ahab called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. 4 For when Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water. 5 So Ahab said to Obadiah, “Let us go into the land, to the springs of water and brooks. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so none of the livestock dies.” 6 So to explore it, they divided the path between them. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 Now Obadiah was alone on his way, and Elijah came alone to meet him. Obadiah quickly fell on his face in Elijah’s presence and said, “My lord Elijah, is that you?” 8 Elijah replied, “It is I; go, tell your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ” 9 So Obadiah said, “What sin did I commit for you to give me, your servant, into the hand of Ahab to put me to death? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to hunt you. If they said, ‘He is not here,’ then he set fire to the kingdom and its territories, because he did not find you. 11 So now you say to me, ‘Go, tell your master, “Behold, Elijah is here’ ”! 12 But if I so do, it shall come to pass, when I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord shall carry you to a land I do not know. Moreover, when I go and report this to Ahab, he will kill me. Yet your servant fears the Lord from his youth. 13 Was it not reported to you, my lord, as to what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 14 But now you say to me, ‘Go, tell your master, “Behold, Elijah is here,’ ” but he will kill me.”
15 Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives before whom I stand, today I will appear to him.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab ran out and went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you the one who is troubling Israel?” 18 Elijah answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but rather you and the house of your father, in that you forsook the Lord your God and followed after the Baals. 19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of shame, and the four hundred prophets of the sacred groves who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
The Victory over Baal
20 So Ahab went back to Israel and gathered all the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah came near to all of them and said, “How long will you be undecided between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone remain as a prophet of the Lord, but there are four hundred and fifty men who are prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of the sacred groves. 23 Let them give us two oxen. Then let them choose one bull for themselves, to be cut into pieces and laid on the wood; but they shall not light a fire under it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood; and I will not light a fire under it. 24 Then you will call loudly on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord, my God. So it shall come to pass that the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “The word you have spoken is good.”
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of shame, “Choose one calf for yourselves and prepare it, for there are many of you. Then call on the name of your god, but do not put fire to the wood under it.” 26 So they took a calf and prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Hear us, O Baal, hear us.” But there was no voice, for no one answered, and they ran about the altar they had made.
27 Then it came to pass at noon that Elijah the Tishbite mocked them and said, “Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; for either he is away meditating, or he is too busy, or preoccupied with other business. Perhaps he is sleeping and has need to be awakened from his nap.” 28 So they cried aloud and cut themselves with knives and lances, as is their custom, until blood gushes forth. 29 They prophesied until early evening, until the appointed time to offer the evening sacrifice. But even still, there was no voice. Finally, Elijah the Tishbite spoke to the prophets of the idols, saying, “Now remove yourselves from this place, for I will offer my whole burnt offering.” And they turned away and departed.
30 Then Elijah said to the people, “Come near me.” So all the people came near to him. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, for the Lord said, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 Then he built an altar with the stones in the name of the Lord, and he repaired the altar of sacrifice that was scattered about, and around the altar he made a furrow holding two measures of seed. 33 He piled the firewood on the altar he had made, divided the whole burnt offering, laid it on the firewood, and laid it in order on the altar. 34 Then he said, “Bring me four pots of water, and pour it on the whole burnt offering and pour it on the unlit firewood.” They did so. Again Elijah said, “Do it a second time.” So they did it again. Again he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran all about the altar, and even the furrow became filled with water.
36 After this, Elijah cried out to heaven and said, “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, answer me, O Lord, answer me this day with fire, and let this people know You are the God of Israel, and I am Your servant; and for Your sake I do all these works. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me with fire, and let these people know You are the Lord God, so as turn the heart of this people back.”
38 Then fire fell from the Lord out of the heaven and consumed the whole burnt offering, the firewood, and the water in the furrow. The fire also licked up the stones and the soil. 39 So all the people fell on their faces, and they said, “Truly, the Lord is God; He is God.” 40 Elijah then said to the people, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Let not one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon, where he slaughtered them.
End of the Drought
41 After this, Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up and eat and drink, for there is a sound of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, where he bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 He said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.” So the servant went up, and looked and said, “There is nothing.” Then Elijah said, “Go again seven times, and return to me seven times.” 44 So it came to pass that on the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud, like the footprint of a man, bringing up water.” So Elijah said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Make ready your chariot and get down from here before the rain overcomes you.’ ” 45 Thus it came to pass that the sky darkened with black clouds and wind, and there was a heavy downpour of rain. But Ahab mourned and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab as far as Jezreel.
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel his wife everything Elijah did, and how he put to death the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent to Elijah, saying, “If you are Elijah and I this Jezebel, may God do so to me and more also if at this hour tomorrow, I do not make your life like the life of one of them.” 3 Elijah was fearful, and he arose and ran for his life. He came to Beersheba of Judah, where he left his servant. 4 But Elijah himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat under a juniper tree. He prayed concerning his life, that he might die, and said, “I pray it be enough, O Lord. Now take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under a tree.
Unexpectedly, someone touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then Elijah looked, and there by his head was a cake made of wheat and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 Again the angel of the Lord came back a second time, touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is a great many days for you.” 8 So he arose, ate and drank; and he went with the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, as far as Mount Horeb. 9 There he went into a cave and rested.
Psalm 104:1–15
1 Alleluia.
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His name;
Report His works among the Gentiles;
2 Sing to Him, and play a stringed instrument to Him;
Describe all His wonderful works.
3 Praise His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad;
4 Seek the Lord and be strengthened;
Seek His face continually.
5 Remember the wonders He performed,
Of His marvels and the judgments of His mouth,
6 O seed of Abraham, His servants,
O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.
7 He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
8 Remember His covenant forever,
And His word He commanded for a thousand generations,
9 Which He established with Abraham,
And His oath with Isaac;
10 And He established it as an ordinance with Jacob
And as an everlasting covenant with Israel,
11 Saying, “I shall give you the land of Canaan
As the portion of your inheritance.”
12 When they were few in number,
The smallest and sojourners in the land,
13 And passed through from nation to nation,
From a kingdom to a different people,
14 He allowed no man to wrong them;
And He reproved kings on their behalf:
15 “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do not act wickedly towards My prophets.”
Proverbs 22:16–20
16 The mouth of a lawless man is a deep pit,
And the man hated by the Lord shall fall into it.
17 Evil ways are before a man,
And he does not love to turn away from them,
But it is necessary to turn away from a crooked and evil way.
18 Folly fastens itself to the heart of a child,
For the rod and instruction are far from him.
19 He who oppresses a poor man increases his possessions,
Yet he gives them to a rich man to lessen them.
20 Incline your ear to the words of the wise and hear my word,
And establish your heart, that you may know they are good.
Luke 22:47–71
47 And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.
48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”
50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
53 “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly
(Matt. 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; John 18:13–18, 25–27)
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.
55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.
56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
57 But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Jesus Mocked and Beaten
(Matt. 26:67, 68; Mark 14:65)
63 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.
64 And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?”
65 And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.
Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin
(Matt. 26:57–68; Mark 14:61–64; John 18:12–14, 19–24)
66 As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying,
67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe.
68 “And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.
69 “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
70 Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.”71 And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”