1 Kings 19:9–21; Psalm 16; Galatians 5:13–25; Luke 9:51–62

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1 Kings 19:9–21

The Lord Speaks to Elijah

There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, wthe word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 He said, I have been very xjealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ythrown down your altars, and zkilled your prophets with the sword, aand I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go out and bstand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and ca great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind dan earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.1 13 And when Elijah heard it, ehe wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, fthere came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 14 He said, xI have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ythrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 gAnd Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and hElisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from ithe sword of Hazael jshall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu kshall Elisha put to death. 18 lYet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not mkissed him.

The Call of Elisha

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast nhis cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, oLet me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. And he said to him, Go back again, for what have I done to you? 21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh pwith the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.


Psalm 16

You Will Not Abandon My Soul

A hMiktam1 of David.

Preserve me, O God, for in you I itake refuge.

I say to the Lord, You are my Lord;

jI have no good apart from you.

As for kthe saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.2

The sorrows of those who run after3 another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or ltake their names on my lips.

The Lord is mmy chosen portion and my ncup;

you hold my olot.

pThe lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who qgives me counsel;

in rthe night also my sheart instructs me.4

tI have uset the Lord always before me;

because he is at my vright hand, I shall not be wshaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my xwhole being5 rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

10  For you will not abandon my soul to ySheol,

zor let your aholy one see bcorruption.6

11  You make known to me cthe path of life;

in your presence there is dfullness of joy;

at your right hand are epleasures forevermore.


Galatians 5:13–25

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. qOnly do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love rserve one another. 14 For sthe whole law is fulfilled in one word: tYou shall love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you ubite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, vwalk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify wthe desires of the flesh. 17 For xthe desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, yto keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are zled by the Spirit, ayou are not under the law. 19 Now bthe works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, cdivisions, 21 envy,1 drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that dthose who do2 such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But ethe fruit of the Spirit is flove, joy, peace, patience, gkindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 hgentleness, iself-control; jagainst such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus khave crucified the flesh with its lpassions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, mlet us also keep in step with the Spirit.


Luke 9:51–62

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

51 When the days drew near for jhim to be taken up, khe set his face lto go to Jerusalem. 52 And mhe sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of nthe Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But othe people did not receive him, because phis face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, Lord, do you want us to tell qfire to come down from heaven and consume them?1 55 But he turned and rebuked them.2 56 And they went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were going ralong the road, ssomeone said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. 58 And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. 59 To another he said, Follow me. But he said, Lord, let me first go and bury my father. 60 And Jesus3 said to him, Leave tthe dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and uproclaim the kingdom of God. 61 Yet another said, I will follow you, Lord, vbut let me first say farewell to those at my home. 62 Jesus said to him, wNo one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.