Eliyahu came near to all the people, and said, *How long will you waver between the two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Ba`al, then follow him.* The people answered him not a word.
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
His parents said these things because they feared the Judeans; for the Judeans had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Messiah, he would be put out of the synagogue.