And the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying:18 Arise, and go down to meet Achab king of Israel, who is in Samaria: behold he is going down to the vineyard of Naboth, to take possession of it:19 And thou shalt speak to him, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast slain, moreover also thou hast taken possession. And after these words thou shalt add: Thus saith the Lord: In this place, wherein the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall lick thy blood also.20 And Achab said to Elias: Hast thou found me thy enemy? He said: I have found thee, because thou art sold, to do evil in the sight of the Lord.21 Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and I will cut down thy posterity, and I will kill of Achab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up, and the last in Israel.22 And I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahias: for what thou hast done, to provoke me to anger, and for making Israel to sin.23 And of Jezabel also the Lord spoke, saying: The dogs shall eat Jezabel in the field of Jezrahel.24 If Achab die in the city, the dogs shall eat him: but if he die in the field, the birds of the air shall eat him.25 Now there was not such another as Achab, who was sold to do evil in the sight of the Lord: for his wife Jezabel set him on,26 And he became abominable, insomuch that he followed the idols which the Amorrhites had made, whom the Lord destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.27 And when Achab had heard these words, he rent his garments, and put haircloth upon his flesh, and fasted and slept in sackcloth, and walked with his head cast down.28 And the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying:29 Hast thou not seen Achab humbled before me? therefore, because he hath humbled himself for my sake, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.
You have sold yourself. You sold yourself to anger your Creator, התמכרת [=you have sold yourself], as in, “and there you will attempt to sell yourselves [והתמכרתם] to your enemies.”
But there was none likes of Achov. Scripture testifies about him that there was none among the kings like him, for Yerovom and all those after him worshiped the calves out of fear, that if the people would go up to Yerusholayim, the kingdom would revert to the House of Dovid, but this one added the Baal and the Asheirah to anger [God].
Sold himself. He was sold to idolatry. I saw in [Talmud] Yerushalmi that Chieil from the house of Eili was his advisor, and every day he would estimate his value and give it to the pagan deities.
I will not bring the evil. The disaster of this house I will not bring in his days, but the decree that the dogs will lick his blood is not possible to come in the days of his son, but upon him.
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 11 and 16
Ps 50:3-4
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.4 Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.5 For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.6 To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.11 Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.16 Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.
People are in error who think that the priests of the Lord, after a lapse, although they may have exhibited true repentance, are not capable of ministering to the Lord and engaging their honorable offices, even though they may lead a good life thereafter and perform their priesthood correctly. Individuals who hold this opinion are not only in error but also seem to argue and act in opposition to the power of the keys committed to the church, of which it is said, "Whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." In short, this opinion either is not the Lord's or it is true. Be that as it may, we believe without hesitation that both the priests of the Lord and other believers may return to their place of honor after a proper satisfaction for their error, as the Lord testifies through his prophet: "Shall he who falls not also rise again? and shall he who turns away not return?" In another passage the Lord says, "I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he may turn and live." The prophet David, on his repentance, said, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit." And he indeed, after his repentance, taught others also and offered sacrifice to God, giving thereby an example to the teachers of the holy church, that if they have fallen and thereafter have exhibited a right repentance to God, they may do both things in like manner. For he taught when he said, "I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you." And he offered sacrifice for himself when he said, "The sacrifice for God is a broken spirit." For the prophet, seeing his own transgressions purged by repentance, had no doubt as to healing those of others by preaching and by making offering to God. Thus the shedding of tears moves the mind's feeling (passionem). And when the satisfaction is made good, the mind is turned aside from anger. For how does that person think that mercy will be shown to himself, who does not forgive his neighbor? If offences abound, then, let mercy also abound; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plentiful redemption.
You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy.44 But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:45 That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.46 For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?47 And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this?†48 Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.†
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)