Old/New Testament
16 The Lord’s message against Baasha came to[a] Jehu son of Hanani: 2 “I raised you up[b] from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps[c] and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry.[d] 3 So I am ready to burn up[e] Baasha and his family, and make your family[f] like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat. 4 Dogs will eat the members of Baasha’s family[g] who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”
5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[h] 6 Baasha passed away[i] and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah replaced him as king. 7 And so it was the Lord’s message came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha and his family.[j] This was because of all the evil he had done in the Lord’s view, by angering him with his deeds and becoming like Jeroboam’s dynasty,[k] and because of how he had destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty.[l]
Elah’s Reign over Israel
8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Baasha’s son Elah became king over Israel; he ruled in Tirzah for two years. 9 His servant Zimri, a commander of half of his chariot force, conspired against him. While Elah was in Tirzah drinking heavily[m] at the house of Arza, who supervised the palace in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him dead. (This happened in the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah.) Zimri replaced Elah as king.[n] 11 When he became king and occupied the throne, he killed Baasha’s entire family. He did not spare any male belonging to him; he killed his relatives and his friends.[o] 12 Zimri destroyed Baasha’s entire family, in keeping with the Lord’s message which he had spoken against Baasha through Jehu the prophet. 13 This happened because of all the sins which Baasha and his son Elah committed and which they made Israel commit. They angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.[p]
14 The rest of the events of Elah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[q]
Zimri’s Reign over Israel
15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Zimri became king over Israel; he ruled for seven days in Tirzah. Zimri’s revolt took place while the army was deployed[r] in Gibbethon, which was in Philistine territory. 16 While deployed there, the army received this report:[s] “Zimri has conspired against the king and assassinated him.”[t] So all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that very day in the camp. 17 Omri and all Israel went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah. 18 When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he went into the fortified area of the royal palace. He set the palace on fire and died in the flames.[u] 19 This happened because of the sins he committed. He did evil in the sight of[v] the Lord and followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to continue sinning.[w]
20 The rest of the events of Zimri’s reign, including the details of his revolt, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[x]
Omri’s Reign over Israel
21 At that time the people of Israel were divided in their loyalties. Half the people supported Tibni son of Ginath and wanted to make him king; the other half supported Omri. 22 Omri’s supporters were stronger than those who supported Tibni son of Ginath. Tibni died; Omri became king.
23 In the thirty-first year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri became king over Israel. He ruled for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. 24 He purchased the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents[y] of silver. He launched a construction project there[z] and named the city he built after Shemer, the former owner of the hill of Samaria. 25 Omri did more evil in the sight of[aa] the Lord than all who were before him. 26 He followed in the footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat and encouraged Israel to sin;[ab] they angered the Lord God of Israel with their worthless idols.[ac]
27 The rest of the events of Omri’s reign, including his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[ad] 28 Omri passed away[ae] and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab replaced him as king.[af]
Ahab Promotes Idolatry
29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Omri’s son Ahab became king over Israel. Ahab son of Omri ruled over Israel for twenty-two years in Samaria. 30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of[ag] the Lord than all who were before him. 31 As if following in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not bad enough, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Then he worshiped and bowed to Baal.[ah] 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal he had built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole; he[ai] did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
34 During Ahab’s reign,[aj] Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. Abiram, his firstborn son, died when he laid the foundation;[ak] Segub, his youngest son, died when he erected its gates,[al] in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Joshua son of Nun.[am]
Elijah Visits a Widow in Sidonian Territory
17 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve),[an] there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”[ao] 2 The Lord’s message came to him: 3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 4 Drink from the stream; I have already told[ap] the ravens to bring you food[aq] there.” 5 So he carried out[ar] the Lord’s message; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.
7 After a while,[as] the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 The Lord’s message came to him, 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told[at] a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a little water in a cup, so I can take a drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.”[au] 12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.”[av] 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned.[aw] But first make me a small cake[ax] and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family.[ay] 16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Elijah.
17 After this[az] the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come[ba] to me to confront me with[bb] my sin and kill my son?” 19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet[bc] and that the Lord’s message really does come through you.”[bd]
Elijah Meets the King’s Servant
18 Some time later, in the third year of the famine,[be] the Lord’s message came to Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” 2 So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord.[bf] 4 When Jezebel was killing[bg] the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took 100 prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) 5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas[bh] so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill[bi] some of the animals.” 6 They divided up the land between them to search it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him.[bj] When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” 8 He replied, “Yes,[bk] go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’”[bl] 9 Obadiah[bm] said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?[bn] 10 As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them[bo] swear an oath that they could not find you. 11 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’[bp] 12 But when I leave you, the Lord’s Spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you.[bq] If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me.[br] That would not be fair,[bs] because your servant has been a loyal follower of[bt] the Lord from my youth. 13 Certainly my master is aware of what I did[bu] when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. 14 Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’[bv] but he will kill me.” 15 But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[bw] lives (whom I serve),[bx] I will make an appearance before him today.”
Elijah Confronts Baal’s Prophets
16 When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.[by] 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he[bz] said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on[ca] Israel?” 18 Elijah[cb] replied, “I have not brought disaster on[cc] Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. 19 Now send out messengers[cd] and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.”[ce]
20 Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision?[cf] If the Lord is the true God,[cg] then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. 22 Elijah said to them:[ch] “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. 23 Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. 24 Then you[ci] will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.”[cj] All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.”[ck]
25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.”[cl] 26 So they took a bull, as he had suggested,[cm] and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped[cn] around on the altar they had made.[co] 27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”[cp] 28 So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual,[cq] mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.[cr] 29 Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy,[cs] but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.[ct]
30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.[cu] 31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord’s message had come, “Israel will be your name.”[cv] 32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord.[cw] Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs[cx] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” 34 When they had done so,[cy] he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 36 When it was time for the evening offering,[cz] Elijah the prophet approached the altar[da] and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove[db] today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God[dc] and that you are winning back their allegiance.”[dd] 38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky.[de] It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God![df] The Lord is the true God!” 40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed[dg] them there.
41 Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.”[dh] 42 So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.”[di] Seven times Elijah sent him to look.[dj] 44 The seventh time the servant[dk] said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah[dl] then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’”[dm] 45 Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward[dn] Jezreel. 46 Now the Lord energized Elijah with power;[do] he tucked his robe into his belt[dp] and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Betrayal and Arrest
47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared,[a] and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up[b] to Jesus to kiss him.[c] 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”[d] 49 When[e] those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should[f] we use our swords?”[g] 50 Then[h] one of them[i] struck the high priest’s slave,[j] cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said,[k] “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s[l] ear and healed[m] him. 52 Then[n] Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard,[o] and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?[p] 53 Day after day when I was with you in the temple courts,[q] you did not arrest me.[r] But this is your hour,[s] and that of the power[t] of darkness!”
Jesus’ Condemnation and Peter’s Denials
54 Then[u] they arrested[v] Jesus,[w] led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house.[x] But Peter was following at a distance. 55 When they had made a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a slave girl,[y] seeing him as he sat in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man was with him too!” 57 But Peter[z] denied it: “Woman,[aa] I don’t know[ab] him!” 58 Then[ac] a little later someone else[ad] saw him and said, “You are one of them too.” But Peter said, “Man,[ae] I am not!” 59 And after about an hour still another insisted,[af] “Certainly this man was with him, because he too is a Galilean.”[ag] 60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” At that moment,[ah] while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.[ai] 61 Then[aj] the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,[ak] how he had said to him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.[al]
63 Now[am] the men who were holding Jesus[an] under guard began to mock him and beat him. 64 They[ao] blindfolded him and asked him repeatedly,[ap] “Prophesy! Who hit you?”[aq] 65 They also said many other things against him, reviling[ar] him.
66 When day came, the council of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and the experts in the law.[as] Then[at] they led Jesus[au] away to their council[av] 67 and said, “If[aw] you are the Christ,[ax] tell us.” But he said to them, “If[ay] I tell you, you will not[az] believe, 68 and if[ba] I ask you, you will not[bb] answer. 69 But from now on[bc] the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand[bd] of the power[be] of God.” 70 So[bf] they all said, “Are you the Son of God,[bg] then?” He answered[bh] them, “You say[bi] that I am.” 71 Then[bj] they said, “Why do we need further testimony? We have heard it ourselves[bk] from his own lips!”[bl]
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