1 Kings 17 - 18 - Legacy Standard Bible

1 Kings 17 - 18

A Widow Sustains Elijah

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 Then the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 3 “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 And it will be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to sustain you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of Yahweh, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens were bringing him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. 7 Now it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and remain there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.” 11 So she went to get it, and he called to her and said, “Please get me a piece of bread in your hand.” 12 But she said, “As Yahweh your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. 14 For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the face of the earth.’” 15 So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of Yahweh which He spoke by the hand of Elijah.

Yahweh Returns Life to the Widow’s Son

17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he called to Yahweh and said, “O Yahweh my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am sojourning, by causing her son to die?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to Yahweh and said, “O Yahweh my God, I pray You, let this child’s life return to him.” 22 And Yahweh heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he became alive. 23 Then Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know this: that you are a man of God and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.”

Obadiah Meets Elijah

Now it happened after many days that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly. 4 And it happened that when Jezebel was cutting down the prophets of Yahweh, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and sustained them with bread and water.) 5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to cut down some of the cattle.” 6 So they divided the land between them to pass through it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 Now it happened that as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is this you, Elijah my master?” 8 And he said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’” 9 And he said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death? 10 As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and if they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. 11 And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’ 12 And it will be that when I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you where I do not know; and I will come and tell Ahab, and he will not find you, and he will kill me, although I your servant have feared Yahweh from my youth. 13 Has it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, that I hid one hundred prophets of Yahweh by fifties in a cave, and sustained them with bread and water? 14 So now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here”’; he will then kill me.” 15 And Elijah said, “As Yahweh of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 Now it happened when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh and you have followed the Baals. 19 So now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Yahweh or Baal on Mount Carmel

20 So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you be limping between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of Yahweh, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but place no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and put it on the wood, and I will not place fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered and said, “That is a good word.” 25 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but place no fire under it.” 26 Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made. 27 Now it happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or relieving himself, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” 28 So they cried with a loud voice and gashed themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29 Now it happened when noon had passed, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention. 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of Yahweh which had been pulled down. 31 Then Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and placed it on the wood. 34 And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 And the water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

Yahweh Answers, He Is God

36 Now it happened at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your slave and I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Answer me, O Yahweh, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Yahweh, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” 38 Then the fire of Yahweh fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And all the people saw it and fell on their faces and said, “Yahweh, He is God; Yahweh, He is God.” 40 Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slaughtered them there.

Yahweh Sends Rain

41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the tumult of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he stretched himself down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his young man, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. 44 Now it happened at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the rain does not stop you.’” 45 Now it happened that in a little while the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 But the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab unto where you enter Jezreel.

Matthew 7:15 - 8:34

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and fell against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone hearing these words of Mine and not doing them, may be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” 28 Now it happened that when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were astonished at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

Now when Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him and was bowing down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

The Centurion’s Faith

5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 And Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not good enough for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this man, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

Peter’s Mother‑in‑Law and Many Others Healed

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 And He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and began waiting on Him. 16 Now when evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill 17 in order to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”

The Cost of Following Jesus

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. 19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus *said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 21 And another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus *said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

23 And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was sleeping. 25 And they came to Him and got Him up, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26 And He *said to them, “Why are you so cowardly, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 And the men marveled, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus Saves Men from Demons

28 And when He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31 And the demons began to plead with Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go!” And coming out, they went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33 Now the herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.

Psalm 8

How Majestic Is Your Name

For the choir director. According to the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

O Yahweh, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

Who displays Your splendor above the heavens!

From the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have established strength

Because of Your adversaries,

To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have established;

What is man that You remember him,

And the son of man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him a little lower than the angels,

And You crown him with glory and majesty!

You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet,

All sheep and oxen,

And also the animals of the field,

The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,

Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

O Yahweh, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name in all the earth!