1 Kings 16; 1 Kings 17; 1 Kings 18; Luke 22:47-71

1 The LORD spoke his word to Jehu, Hanani's son, against Baasha.

2 He said, "I raised you from the dust and made you leader of my people Israel. But you have lived like Jeroboam. You have led my people to sin, and their sins make me furious.

3 So I will destroy Baasha and his family. I will make his family like the family of Jeroboam (Nebat's son).

4 Dogs will eat anyone from Baasha's [family] who dies in the city. Birds will eat anyone from his [family] who dies in the country."

5 Isn't everything else about Baasha--what he did and his heroic acts--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?

6 Baasha lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah succeeded him as king.

7 In addition, the LORD spoke his word to the prophet Jehu, Hanani's son, against Baasha and his family because of all the things Baasha did which the LORD considered evil. Baasha's actions, which made the LORD furious, were like [the sin of] Jeroboam's family. The LORD was also furious because Baasha destroyed Jeroboam's family.

8 Elah, son of Baasha, began to rule Israel in Asa's twenty-sixth year as Judah's king. He ruled in Tirzah for two years.

9 But Zimri, the general who commanded half of Elah's chariots, plotted against him. Elah was getting drunk in Tirzah at Arza's house. (Arza was in charge of the palace in Tirzah.)

10 Zimri entered Arza's house, attacked Elah, and killed him in Asa's twenty-seventh year as king of Judah. Zimri succeeded Elah as king [of Israel].

11 At the beginning of Zimri's reign, as soon as he was on his throne, he killed Baasha's entire family. He didn't spare any of Baasha's male relatives or friends.

12 So Zimri destroyed Baasha's entire family, as the LORD had spoken through the prophet Jehu.

13 This was for all the sins committed by Baasha and his son Elah. They sinned, led Israel to sin, and made the LORD God of Israel furious because of their worthless idols.

14 Isn't everything else about Elah--everything he did--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?

15 In Asa's twenty-seventh year as Judah's king, Zimri ruled for seven days in Tirzah while the army was camped near the Philistine city of Gibbethon.

16 When the army heard that Zimri had plotted [against the king] and killed him, the Israelite troops in the camp made Omri, the commander of the army, king of Israel.

17 Omri and the Israelite troops with him left Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah.

18 When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the stronghold in the royal palace and burned down the palace over his own head. He died

19 because of the sins he had committed--the things the LORD considered evil. Zimri lived like Jeroboam and led Israel to sin.

20 Isn't everything else about Zimri and his plot written in the official records of the kings of Israel?

21 Then the army of Israel was divided into two factions. Half of the army followed Tibni, son of Ginath, and wanted to make him king. The [other] half followed Omri.

22 But the half which followed Omri was stronger than the half which followed Tibni, Ginath's son. Tibni died, and Omri became king.

23 Omri began to rule Israel in Asa's thirty-first year as king of Judah. He ruled for 12 years, 6 of them in Tirzah.

24 Omri bought a hill from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver. He fortified the hill and built the city of Samaria on it. He named the city after its former owner, Shemer.

25 Omri did what the LORD considered evil. He did more evil things than all [the kings] before him.

26 He lived exactly like Jeroboam (Nebat's son). He sinned and led Israel to sin with worthless idols, and the Israelites made the LORD God of Israel furious.

27 Isn't everything else about Omri--what he did and his heroic acts--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?

28 Omri lay down in death with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Ahab succeeded him as king.

29 Ahab, son of Omri, began to rule Israel in Asa's thirty-eighth year as king of Judah. He ruled for 22 years in Samaria.

30 Ahab, son of Omri, did what the LORD considered evil. He was worse than all [the kings] who were before him.

31 It wasn't enough that he committed the same sins as Jeroboam (Nebat's son). He also married Jezebel, daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Ahab then served and worshiped Baal.

32 He built the temple of Baal in Samaria and set up an altar there.

33 Ahab made poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. He did more to make the LORD God of Israel furious than all the kings of Israel who came before him.

34 In Ahab's time Hiel from Bethel rebuilt Jericho. Laying the foundation cost him his firstborn son, Abiram. Setting up the city doors cost him his youngest son, Segub. The LORD had spoken this through Joshua, son of Nun.

1 Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, "I solemnly swear, as the LORD God of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so."

2 Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah:

3 "Leave here, turn east, and hide beside the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River.

4 You can drink from the stream, and I've commanded ravens to feed you there."

5 Elijah left and did what the word of the LORD [had told him]. He went to live by the Cherith River, which is east of the Jordan River.

6 Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. And he drank from the stream.

7 But after some time the stream dried up because no rain had fallen in the land.

8 Then the LORD spoke his word to Elijah:

9 "Get up, go to Zarephath (which belongs to Sidon), and stay there. I've commanded a widow there to feed you."

10 He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town's entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, "Please bring me a drink of water."

11 As she was going to get it, he called to her again, "Please bring me a piece of bread too."

12 She said, "I solemnly swear, as the LORD your God lives, I didn't bake any bread. I have one handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I'm gathering wood. I'm going to prepare something for myself and my son so that we can eat it and then die."

13 Then Elijah told her, "Don't be afraid. Go home, and do as you've said. But first make a small loaf and bring it to me. Then prepare something for yourself and your son.

14 This is what the LORD God of Israel says: Until the LORD sends rain on the land, the jar of flour will never be empty and the jug will always contain oil."

15 She did what Elijah had told her. So she, Elijah, and her family had food for a long time.

16 The jar of flour never became empty, and the jug always contained olive oil, as the LORD had promised through Elijah.

17 Afterwards, the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. He got so sick that finally no life was left in him.

18 The woman asked Elijah, "What do you and I have in common, man of God? Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"

19 He said to her, "Give me your son." Elijah took him from her arms, carried him to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.

20 Then he called to the LORD, "LORD my God, have you brought misery on the widow I'm staying with by killing her son?"

21 Then Elijah stretched himself over the boy three times and called to the LORD, "LORD my God, please make this child's life return to him."

22 The LORD heard Elijah's request, and the child's life returned to him. He was alive again.

23 Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upstairs room of the house, and gave him to his mother. He said, "Look! Your son is alive."

24 The woman said to Elijah, "Now I'm convinced that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is true."

1 A while later in the third year of the drought, the LORD spoke his word to Elijah: "Present yourself to Ahab. I will allow rain to fall on the ground."

2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was particularly severe in Samaria.

3 Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a devout worshiper of the LORD.

4 (When Jezebel was killing the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave and kept them alive by providing bread and water for them.)

5 Ahab told Obadiah, "Let's go throughout the countryside to every spring and stream. If we can find grass, then we can keep the horses and mules alive and not lose any animals."

6 So they split up in order to cover the entire countryside. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.

7 Obadiah was on the road when he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him and immediately bowed down to the ground. "Is it you, my master Elijah?" he asked.

8 "Yes," Elijah answered him. "Tell your master that Elijah is here."

9 Obadiah asked, "What have I done wrong to make you hand me over to Ahab to be killed?

10 I solemnly swear, as the LORD your God lives, my master has searched for you in every region and kingdom. When people would say, 'He isn't here,' my master made that kingdom or region take an oath that they hadn't found you.

11 "Now you say, 'Tell your master that Elijah is here.'

12 This is what will happen: When I leave you, the LORD's Spirit will take you away to some unknown place. I'll tell Ahab, but he won't be able to find you. Then he will kill me. "I have been faithful to the LORD since I was a child.

13 Haven't you heard what I did when Jezebel killed the LORD's prophets? Haven't you heard how I hid 100 of the LORD's prophets in caves? I hid 50 prophets in each cave and provided bread and water for them.

14 Now you say that I should tell my master that Elijah is here. He will kill me."

15 Elijah said, "I solemnly swear, as the LORD of Armies whom I serve lives, I will present myself to Ahab."

16 So Obadiah went to tell Ahab. Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When he saw Elijah, Ahab said, "Is that you, you troublemaker of Israel?"

18 Elijah answered, "I haven't troubled Israel. You and your father's family have done it by disobeying the LORD's commands and following the various Baal gods.

19 Order all Israel to gather around me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table."

20 Ahab sent word to all the Israelites and brought the prophets together on Mount Carmel.

21 Elijah stood up in front of all the people and asked them, "How long will you try to have it both ways? If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal is God, follow him." The people didn't say a word.

22 So Elijah told the people, "I'm the only surviving prophet of the LORD, but there are 450 prophets of Baal.

23 Give us two bulls. Let the prophets of Baal choose one for themselves, cut it into pieces, lay it on the wood, but not set it on fire. I'll do the same with the other bull.

24 "You call on the name of your gods, but I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire is the real God." All the people answered, "That's fine."

25 Elijah told the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves. Prepare yours first, because there are more of you. Call on the name of your god, but don't set the wood on fire."

26 They took the bull he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon. They said, "Baal, answer us!" But there wasn't a sound or an answer. So they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah started to make fun of them. "Shout louder, since he is a god. Maybe he's thinking, relieving himself, or traveling! Maybe he's sleeping, and you have to wake him!"

28 So they shouted louder. They also cut themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. (This is what their ritual called for.)

29 In the afternoon they continued to rant and rave until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no sound, no answer, no attention given to them.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come over here." So all the people came to him. He rebuilt the LORD's altar that had been torn down.

31 Elijah took 12 stones, one for each of the tribes named after Jacob's sons. (The LORD had spoken his word to Jacob: "Your name will be Israel.")

32 Elijah built an altar in the LORD's name with those stones. He also made a trench that could hold 12 quarts of grain around the altar.

33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and put it on the wood.

34 He said, "Fill four jars with water. Pour the water on the offering and on the wood." Then he said, "Do it again," and they did it again. Then he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.

35 The water flowed around the altar, and even the trench was filled with water.

36 When it was time to offer the sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward. He said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make known today that you are God in Israel and that I'm your servant and have done all these things by your instructions.

37 Answer me, LORD! Answer me! Then these people will know that you, LORD, are God and that you are winning back their hearts."

38 So a fire from the LORD fell down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dirt. The fire even dried up the water that was in the trench.

39 All the people saw it and immediately bowed down to the ground. "The LORD is God!" they said. "The LORD is God!"

40 Elijah told them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let any of them escape." The people seized them, and Elijah took them to the Kishon River and slaughtered them there.

41 Then Elijah told Ahab, "Get up, eat, and drink. It sounds like a heavy rain [is coming]."

42 Ahab got up to eat and drink. Elijah went to the top of Carmel and bowed down on the ground to pray.

43 He said to his servant, "Please go back to [Mount Carmel], and look toward the sea." He went up, looked, [came back,] and said, "There's nothing." Seven times Elijah told him, "Go back."

44 After the seventh time the servant said, "A little cloud like a man's hand is coming from the sea." Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Prepare [your chariot], and leave before the rain delays you.'"

45 Gradually, the sky grew darker with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab got into his chariot to go back to Jezreel.

46 The LORD's power was on Elijah. He hiked up his robe and ran ahead of Ahab until they came to Jezreel.

47 While he was still speaking to the disciples, a crowd arrived. The man called Judas, one of the twelve apostles, was leading them. He came close to Jesus to kiss him.

48 Jesus said to him, "Judas, do you intend to betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"

49 The men who were with Jesus saw what was going to happen. So they asked him, "Lord, should we use our swords to fight?"

50 One of the disciples cut off the right ear of the chief priest's servant.

51 But Jesus said, "Stop! That's enough of this." Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple guards, and leaders who had come for him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal?

53 I was with you in the temple courtyard every day and you didn't try to arrest me. But this is your time, when darkness rules."

54 So they arrested Jesus and led him away to the chief priest's house. Peter followed at a distance.

55 Some men had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard. As they sat together, Peter sat among them.

56 A female servant saw him as he sat facing the glow of the fire. She stared at him and said, "This man was with Jesus."

57 But Peter denied it by saying, "I don't know him, woman."

58 A little later someone else saw Peter and said, "You are one of them." But Peter said, "Not me!"

59 About an hour later another person insisted, "It's obvious that this man was with him. He's a Galilean!"

60 But Peter said, "I don't know what you're talking about!" Just then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

61 Then the Lord turned and looked directly at Peter. Peter remembered what the Lord had said: "Before a rooster crows today, you will say three times that you don't know me."

62 Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.

63 The men who were guarding Jesus made fun of him as they beat him.

64 They blindfolded him and said to him, "Tell us who hit you."

65 They also insulted him in many other ways.

66 In the morning the council of the people's leaders, the chief priests and the scribes, gathered together. They brought Jesus in front of their highest court and asked him,

67 "Tell us, are you the Messiah?" Jesus said to them, "If I tell you, you won't believe me.

68 And if I ask you, you won't answer.

69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be in the highest position in heaven."

70 Then all of them said, "So you're the Son of God?" Jesus answered them, "You're right to say that I am."

71 Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We've heard him say it ourselves."