Elijah

11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"I am telling you the truth. Of all people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptist. But the smallest person in God's kingdom is greater than he is."

12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

"From the days of John until now, people have attacked God's kingdom. Violent people try to grab it by force."

13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

"All the prophets and the law of God told what was coming. They did this until John came."

14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

"If you are willing to believe it, John is the Elijah who was coming."

15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

"If you have ears, then listen."

1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. John was James's brother. Jesus led them up a high mountain, away from other people.

2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

There Jesus changed right in front of them. His face shone like the sun. His clothes turned as white as light.

3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

All at once, Moses and Elijah were there. They were talking with Jesus.

4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you want, I will build three shelters. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

While Peter was still talking, a bright cloud covered them. A voice came out of the cloud. It said, "This is my Son, and I love him. He makes me very glad. Listen to him!"

6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

When his followers, called disciples, heard the voice, they fell with their faces to the ground. They were very afraid.

7And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

Jesus came over and touched them. He said, "Get up. Do not be afraid."

8And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

They looked up. They saw no one there but Jesus.

9And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

As they walked down the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had seen. They should wait until the Son of Man rose from the dead. Jesus called himself the Son of Man.

10And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

His followers asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" Scribes were teachers who studied and copied God's laws.

11And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

Jesus answered, "It is true. Elijah does come first, and he puts everything right again."

12But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

"But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People did not know who he was. They did to him whatever they wanted. They will hurt the Son of Man in the same way."

13Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Then his followers understood. Jesus was talking about John the Baptist.

2And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. He led them up a high mountain, away from everyone. There his whole look changed in front of them.

3And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

His clothes turned bright and shining white, whiter than snow. No one on earth could wash clothes that white.

4And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

Then Elijah and Moses appeared to them. The two men were talking with Jesus.

5And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Peter said to Jesus, "Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us build three shelters. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

6For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

Peter did not know what to say. All of them were very afraid.

7And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

Then a cloud came and covered them. A voice came out of the cloud. It said, "This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to him."

8And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

They looked all around them. Suddenly they saw no one else. Only Jesus was there with them.

9And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

They walked back down the mountain. Jesus told them not to tell anyone what they had seen. They could tell it after the Son of Man rose from the dead. "Son of Man" was the name Jesus used for himself.

10And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

So they kept it to themselves. But they asked each other what "rising from the dead" meant.

11And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?

They asked Jesus, "Why do the scribes say Elijah must come first?" Scribes were teachers who knew God's law well.

12And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

Jesus answered, "Yes, Elijah comes first and puts everything right. But God's book also says the Son of Man must suffer much. It says people will treat him as worth nothing."

13But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

"But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People did whatever they wanted to him. That is just what God's book said would happen."

13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

But the angel said, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias. God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elisabeth will have a son. You will name him John."

14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

"You will be full of joy and gladness. Many people will be glad when he is born."

15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

"He will be great in the Lord's sight. He will never drink wine or any strong drink. He will be full of the Holy Spirit even before he is born."

16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

"He will bring many people of Israel back to the Lord their God."

17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

"He will go ahead of the Lord with the same spirit and power as Elias. He will turn fathers' hearts back to their children. He will turn people who will not obey toward the wisdom of those who do right. He will get people ready for the Lord."

24And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

He said, "I tell you the truth. No prophet is welcomed in his own hometown."

25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

"Here is the truth. Many widows lived in Israel back when Elijah lived. A widow is a woman whose husband has died. For three and a half years no rain fell. People all over the land were very hungry."

26But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

"But Elijah was not sent to any of those widows. He was sent to a widow in Zarephath, a town near Sidon."

27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

"Many people in Israel had a bad skin sickness when Elisha the prophet lived. Not one of them was made well. Only Naaman, a man from Syria, was made well."

51And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

The time was coming for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem.

52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

He sent messengers ahead of him. They went into a village in Samaria to get things ready for him.

53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

But the people there would not welcome him. This was because he was heading for Jerusalem.

54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

His followers James and John saw this. They said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to burn them up, as Elijah did?"

55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

Jesus turned and told them they were wrong. He said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you have."

56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

"The Son of Man did not come to destroy people's lives. He came to save them." Then they went on to another village.

19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

Here is what John said. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites, who helped at the temple, to ask him, "Who are you?"

20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

John did not hide anything. He said clearly, "I am not the Christ, the king God promised to send."

21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

They asked, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah, the prophet from long ago?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet God promised?" He answered, "No."

22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

So they said, "Then who are you? We must bring an answer back to the men who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

John said, "I am a voice calling out in the empty desert. I say, 'Make the road straight for the Lord.'" The prophet Isaiah wrote those words long ago.

24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

The men who had been sent were Pharisees. They were a group who cared very much about God's rules.

25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

They asked him, "Then why do you baptize people? You say you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the Prophet."

2God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Not written for this reading age yet.

3Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Not written for this reading age yet.

4But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Not written for this reading age yet.

5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Not written for this reading age yet.