and if you are willing to believe their message, John is Elijah, whose coming was predicted.

"Some say John the Baptist," they answered. "Others say Elijah, while others say Jeremiah or some other prophet."

Some of the people standing there heard him and said, "He is calling for Elijah!"

But the others said, "Wait, let us see if Elijah is coming to save him!"

He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him."

Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land.

Yet Elijah was not sent to anyone in Israel, but only to a widow living in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.

Suddenly two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah,

As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (He did not really know what he was saying.)

When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"

"Who are you, then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No, I am not," John answered. "Are you the Prophet?" they asked. "No," he replied.

then asked John, "If you are not the Messiah nor Elijah nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?"

God has not rejected his people, whom he chose from the beginning. You know what the scripture says in the passage where Elijah pleads with God against Israel:

But Micaiah answered, "By the living LORD I promise that I will say what he tells me to!"

Elisha answered, "By the living LORD, whom I serve, I swear that I would have nothing to do with you if I didn't respect your ally, King Jehoshaphat of Judah.

Elisha answered, "By the living LORD, whom I serve, I swear that I will not accept a gift." Naaman insisted that he accept it, but he would not.

Look around and see what is happening! Your people are assembling---they are coming home! As surely as I am the living God, you will be proud of your people, as proud as a bride is of her jewels.

He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him."

At the mountain the LORD appointed the men of the tribe of Levi to be in charge of the Covenant Box, to serve him as priests, and to pronounce blessings in his name. And these are still their duties.

To this the LORD replied, "If you return, I will take you back, and you will be my servant again. If instead of talking nonsense you proclaim a worthwhile message, you will be my prophet again. The people will come back to you, and you will not need to go to them.

"I am Gabriel," the angel answered. "I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news.

Be on watch and pray always that you will have the strength to go safely through all those things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man."

For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship came to me

Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land.

Elijah was the same kind of person as we are. He prayed earnestly that there would be no rain, and no rain fell on the land for three and a half years.

They have authority to shut up the sky so that there will be no rain during the time they proclaim God's message. They have authority also over the springs of water, to turn them into blood; they have authority also to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.