1 Kings 18:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    Then stepte Elias vnto all the people, & sayde: How longe halte ye on both ye sydes? Yf the LORDE be God, the walke after him: but yf Baal be he, the folowe him. And the people gaue him no answere.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    And Eliiah came vnto all the people, and said, How long halt ye betweene two opinions? If the Lord be God, followe him: but if Baal be he, then goe after him; the people answered him not a worde.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    And Elias came vnto all the people, and said: how long halt ye betweene two opinions? If the Lorde be God, folowe him: but if Baal be he, then go after him. And the people aunswered him not one worde.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    ¶ 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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people answered him not a word.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    and Elijah cometh nigh unto all the people, and saith, `Till when are ye leaping on the two branches? -- if Jehovah `is' God, go after Him; and if Baal, go after him;' and the people have not answered him a word.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go on balancing between two opinions? if the Lord is God, then give worship to him; but if Baal, give worship to him. And the people said not a word in answer.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people answered him not a word.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    Elijah approached all the people and said,“How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the LORD is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.

Referenced Verses

  • Josh 24:15 : 15 But if it seems undesirable to you to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve—whether the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
  • Matt 6:24 : 24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
  • 1 Sam 7:3 : 3 Then Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, 'If you are truly returning to the LORD with all your heart, rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth among you. Commit your hearts to the LORD and worship Him only, and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.'
  • 2 Kgs 17:41 : 41 So these nations feared the Lord, but they also served their carved images. Their children and grandchildren continued to do as their fathers did, even to this day.
  • 2 Cor 6:14-16 : 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement can there be between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'
  • 1 Cor 10:21-22 : 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He is?
  • Rev 3:15-16 : 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
  • Zeph 1:5 : 5 I will also cut off those who bow in worship on the rooftops to the starry host, those who bow and swear by the Lord but also swear by Milcom.
  • 1 Kgs 18:39 : 39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"
  • Josh 24:23-24 : 23 Now then," Joshua said, "put away the foreign gods that are among you, and direct your hearts toward the LORD, the God of Israel. 24 The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey His voice.
  • Rom 6:16-22 : 16 Do you not know that if you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 Having been set free from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you presented the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present them as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit did you produce then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death. 22 But now, having been freed from sin and bound to God, you have your fruit, which leads to sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life.
  • Gen 24:50 : 50 Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This matter comes from the Lord; we cannot say good or bad to you.'
  • Gen 44:16 : 16 Judah replied, "What can we say to my lord? How can we speak or justify ourselves? God has uncovered the guilt of your servants. Here we are, my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found."
  • 1 Chr 17:26 : 26 And now, LORD, you are God, and you have made this good promise concerning your servant.
  • 2 Chr 33:13 : 13 He prayed to Him, and the LORD was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea. He brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
  • Deut 4:35 : 35 You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him.
  • Matt 22:12 : 12 He said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
  • Matt 22:34 : 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
  • Matt 22:36 : 36 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?'
  • Luke 6:13 : 13 When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles.
  • Rom 3:19 : 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
  • Job 40:4-5 : 4 Behold, I am insignificant. What can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. 5 I have spoken once, but I will not answer; twice, but I will say no more.
  • Ps 100:3 : 3 Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
  • Exod 5:1-2 : 1 Afterward, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.'" 2 But Pharaoh replied, "Who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go."

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • 1 Kgs 18:22-27
    6 verses
    79%

    22Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left as a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

    23Let two bulls be given to us. Let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and lay it on the wood without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood without setting fire to it.

    24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire—He is God." All the people answered, "What you say is good."

    25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, 'Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not set fire to the wood.'

    26So they took the bull that was given to them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, 'O Baal, answer us!' But there was no response, no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

    27At noon, Elijah began to mock them, saying, 'Shout louder! Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.'

  • 1 Kgs 18:39-41
    3 verses
    75%

    39When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"

    40Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Do not let any of them escape." So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.

    41Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.

  • 1 Kgs 18:15-20
    6 verses
    74%

    15But Elijah said, "As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, whom I serve, I will show myself to him today."

    16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

    17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"

    18Elijah replied, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, by abandoning the commandments of the LORD and following the Baals.

    19Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table.

    20So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.

  • 1 Kgs 18:30
    73%

    30Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come here to me.' They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down.

  • 1 Kgs 18:36-37
    2 verses
    72%

    36At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached and said, "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel, that I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your command.

    37Answer me, LORD, answer me, so that this people will know that You, LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back to Yourself.

  • 2 Kgs 1:3
    71%

    3But the angel of the LORD told Elijah the Tishbite, 'Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?"'

  • 1 Kgs 17:1-2
    2 verses
    71%

    1Elijah, the Tishbite from the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in these years, except by my word."

    2And the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

  • 1 Kgs 21:28
    71%

    28Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

  • 2 Kgs 1:7
    71%

    7The king asked them, 'What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?'

  • 1 Kgs 19:13
    70%

    13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak, went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him, saying, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'

  • 2 Kgs 1:9-13
    5 verses
    70%

    9Then the king sent a captain with his fifty men to Elijah. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of the hill, and said to him, 'Man of God, the king says, "Come down."'

    10Elijah answered the captain, 'If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!' Then fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty.

    11Once again, the king sent another captain with fifty men to Elijah. The captain approached and said to him, 'Man of God, the king says, "Come down quickly!"'

    12Elijah replied, 'If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!' And fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

    13A third time, the king sent a captain with fifty men. This third captain approached, fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, 'Man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your eyes.'

  • 1 Kgs 18:11
    70%

    11Now you tell me, 'Go and say to your master, Elijah is here!'

  • Rom 11:4
    69%

    4But what was God’s answer to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

  • 2 Kgs 1:15
    69%

    15The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, 'Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.' So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

  • 1 Kgs 19:9
    69%

    9There he went into a cave and spent the night. The word of the LORD came to him, saying, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'

  • 1 Kgs 18:8
    69%

    8Elijah replied, "It is I. Go and tell your master, 'Elijah is here.'"

  • 2 Kgs 2:2
    69%

    2Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Bethel." But Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Bethel.

  • Judg 6:31
    69%

    31But Joash replied to all who stood against him, 'Will you plead Baal’s case? Will you save him? If Baal really is a god, let him defend himself when someone tears down his altar.'

  • 2 Kgs 2:6
    68%

    6Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

  • 2 Kgs 2:4
    68%

    4Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went to Jericho.

  • 2 Kgs 1:5
    68%

    5When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, 'Why have you returned?'

  • 1 Kgs 19:2
    68%

    2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I don’t make your life like the life of one of them.'

  • Josh 24:16
    68%

    16The people replied, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!

  • 2 Kgs 10:18-19
    2 verses
    68%

    18Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him much.

    19Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers, and all his priests. Let no one fail to come, for I am going to hold a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who fails to come will not live." But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the worshipers of Baal.

  • 1 Kgs 22:20
    68%

    20And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One suggested this, and another suggested that.

  • 1 Kgs 20:8
    68%

    8The elders and all the people said to him, 'Do not listen to or agree to his demands.'

  • 1 Kgs 21:17
    68%

    17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

  • 2 Kgs 10:23
    68%

    23Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rechab entered the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, "Search and make sure that no servants of the LORD are here with you—only the worshipers of Baal."

  • 2 Chr 18:5
    68%

    5So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, 'Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or should I refrain?' They answered, 'Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.'

  • 1 Kgs 22:6
    68%

    6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, 'Should I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?' They said, 'Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king’s hands.'

  • 1 Kgs 18:1
    67%

    1After many days, the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land."