Scripture Readings for Sunday

2Kings 2:1-12
1 ¶ When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” ¶ But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 ¶ The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” ¶ “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “but do not speak of it.”
4 ¶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” ¶ And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 ¶ The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” ¶ “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.”
6 ¶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” ¶ And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 ¶ Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan.
8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 ¶ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” ¶ “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10 ¶ “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours — otherwise not.”
11 ¶ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.

2Corinthians 4:3-6
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Mark 9:2-9
2 ¶ After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 ¶ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 ¶ Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
8 ¶ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 ¶ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.