Today’s
Reading : 1Kings 18 – 19 and 1Corinthians
9 (KJV)
1Kings 18
1Ki
18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came
to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will
send rain upon the earth.
1Ki 18:2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab.
And there was
a sore famine in Samaria.
1Ki 18:3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his
house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
1Ki 18:4 For it was so,
when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred
prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
1Ki 18:5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land,
unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find
grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
1Ki 18:6 So they divided the land between them to pass
throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by
himself.
1Ki 18:7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah
met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?
1Ki 18:8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
1Ki 18:9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay
me?
1Ki 18:10 As the
LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom,
whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation,
that they found thee not.
1Ki 18:11 And now thou sayest,
Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
1Ki 18:12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the
LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so
when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy
servant fear the LORD from my youth.
1Ki 18:13 Was it not told my lord what I did when
Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD's
prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
1Ki 18:14 And now thou sayest,
Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
1Ki 18:15 And Elijah said, As
the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will
surely show myself unto him today.
1Ki 18:16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him:
and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1Ki 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah,
that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he
that troubleth Israel?
1Ki 18:18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel;
but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of
the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
1Ki 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel,
and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves
four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.
1Ki 18:20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel,
and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and
said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not
a word.
1Ki 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but
Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty
men.
1Ki 18:23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and
let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and
lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
1Ki 18:24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I
will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth
by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well
spoken.
1Ki 18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal,
Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it
first; for ye are many; and call on the
name of your gods, but put no fire under.
1Ki 18:26 And they took the bullock which was given
them, and they dressed it, and called on
the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was
no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
1Ki 18:27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah
mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is
a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth,
and must be awaked.
1Ki 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves
after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon
them.
1Ki 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past,
and they prophesied until the time of
the offering of the evening sacrifice,
that there was
neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
1Ki 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come
near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar
of the LORD that was broken down.
1Ki 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to
the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD
came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
1Ki 18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the
name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would
contain two measures of seed.
1Ki 18:33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the
bullock in pieces, and laid him on the
wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
1Ki 18:34 And he said, Do it
the second time. And they did it the
second time. And he said, Do it the
third time. And they did it the third
time.
1Ki 18:35 And the water ran round about the altar; and
he filled the trench also with water.
1Ki 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and
said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that
thou art God in Israel, and that I am
thy servant, and that I have done all
these things at thy word.
1Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people
may know that thou art the LORD God, and
that thou hast turned their heart back
again.
1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed
the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up
the water that was in the trench.
1Ki 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The
LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
1Ki 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets
of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought
them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
1Ki 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat
and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
1Ki 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And
Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth,
and put his face between his knees,
1Ki 18:43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look
toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is
nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
1Ki 18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that
he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of
the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot,
and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
1Ki 18:45 And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that
the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab
rode, and went to Jezreel.
1Ki 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and
he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1Kings 19
1Ki
19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had
done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
1Ki 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah,
saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the
life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.
1Ki 19:3 And when he saw that,
he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba,
which belongeth
to Judah, and left his servant there.
1Ki 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the
wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for
himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my
life; for I am not better than my
fathers.
1Ki 19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,
behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
1Ki 19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was
a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and
drink, and laid him down again.
1Ki 19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the
second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and
eat; because the journey is too great
for thee.
1Ki 19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went
in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged
there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came
to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
1Ki 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the
LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown
down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the
sword; and I, even I only, am left; and
they seek my life, to take it away.
1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the
mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong
wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was
not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but
the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was
not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
1Ki 19:13 And it was so,
when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped
his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou
here, Elijah?
1Ki 19:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the
LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with
the sword; and I, even I only, am left;
and they seek my life, to take it away.
1Ki 19:15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy
way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest,
anoint Hazael to
be king over Syria:
1Ki 19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi
shalt thou anoint to
be king over Israel: and Elisha the son
of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to
be prophet in thy room.
1Ki 19:17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth
the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
1Ki 19:18 Yet I have left me
seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and
every mouth which hath not kissed him.
1Ki 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the
son of Shaphat, who was
plowing with
twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and
Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
1Ki 19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah,
and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go
back again: for what have I done to thee?
1Ki 19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a
yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the
oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after
Elijah, and ministered unto him.
1Corinthians 9
1Co
9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I
not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
1Co 9:2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet
doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
1Co 9:3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is
this,
1Co 9:4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
1Co 9:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a
wife, as well as other apostles, and as
the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
1Co 9:6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to
forbear working?
1Co 9:7 Who goeth a warfare
any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard,
and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not
of the milk of the flock?
1Co 9:8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
1Co 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
1Co 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no
doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and
that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of
his hope.
1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a
great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
1Co 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are
not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things,
lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
1Co 9:13 Do ye not know that they which minister about
holy things live of the things
of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they
which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1Co 9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither
have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were
better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have
nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I
preach not the gospel!
1Co 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a
reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of
the gospel
is committed unto me.
1Co 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make
the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all,
that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I
might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I
might gain them that are under the law;
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law,
(being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain
them that are without law.
1Co 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might
gain the weak: I am made all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some.
1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I
might be partaker thereof with you.
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run
all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may
obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth
for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so
fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when
I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.