Fire from Heaven and Generous Giving

1. Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2. Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria, and was sick. So he sent messengers, and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover of this sickness.” 3. But Yahweh’s angel said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? 4. Now therefore Yahweh says, “You will not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you will surely die.”’” Then Elijah departed. 5. The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, “Why is it that you have returned?” 6. They said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and tell him, “Yahweh says, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you will surely die.’”’” 7. He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words?” 8. They answered him, “He was a hairy man, and wearing a leather belt around his waist.” He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.” 9. Then the king sent a captain of fifty with his fifty to him. He went up to him; and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’” 10. Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!” Then fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty. 11. Again he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He answered him, “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down quickly!’” 12. Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!” Then God’s fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty. 13. Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, “Man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty of your servants, be precious in your sight. 14. Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the last two captains of fifty with their fifties. But now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15. Yahweh’s angel said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” Then he arose, and went down with him to the king. 16. He said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore you will not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you will surely die.’” 17. So he died according to Yahweh’s word which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began to reign in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, because he had no son. 18. Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 1. When Yahweh was about to take Elijah up by a whirlwind into heaven, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2. Elijah said to Elisha, “Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel.” Elisha said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3. The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?” He said, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.” 4. Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho.” He said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?” He answered, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.” 6. Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan.” He said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” Then they both went on. 7. Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood opposite them at a distance; and they both stood by the Jordan. 8. Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground. 9. When they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.” 10. He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so for you; but if not, it will not be so.” 11. As they continued on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12. Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” He saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces. 13. He also took up Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14. He took Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” When he also had struck the waters, they were divided apart, and Elisha went over. 15. When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16. They said to him, “See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. Perhaps Yahweh’s Spirit has taken him up, and put him on some mountain, or into some valley.” He said, “Don’t send them.” 17. When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” Therefore they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but didn’t find him. 18. They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go?’” 19. The men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.” 20. He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” Then they brought it to him. 21. He went out to the spring of the waters, and threw salt into it, and said, “Yahweh says, ‘I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or barren wasteland.’” 22. So the waters were healed to this day, according to Elisha’s word which he spoke. 23. He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!” 24. He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in Yahweh’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty-two of those youths. 25. He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. 1. Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, but not like his father, and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3. Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from them. 4. Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he supplied the king of Israel with the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams. 5. But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6. King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. 7. He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?” He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8. He said, “Which way shall we go up?” He answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.” 9. So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched for seven days along a circuitous route. There was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. 10. The king of Israel said, “Alas! For Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 11. But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.” 12. Jehoshaphat said, “Yahweh’s word is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13. Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.” The king of Israel said to him, “No, for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 14. Elisha said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you. 15. But now bring me a musician.” When the musician played, Yahweh’s hand came on him. 16. He said, “Yahweh says, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ 17. For Yahweh says, ‘You will not see wind, neither will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, and you will drink, both you and your livestock and your other animals. 18. This is an easy thing in Yahweh’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19. You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’” 20. In the morning, about the time of offering the sacrifice, behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21. Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, young and old, and stood on the border. 22. They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23. They said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each other. Now therefore, Moab, to the plunder!” 24. When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites. 25. They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone, and filled it. They also stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth all they left was its stones; however the men armed with slings went around it, and attacked it. 26. When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew a sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27. Then he took his oldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

1. It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints, 2. for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for a year past. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them. 3. But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared, 4. lest by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) would be disappointed in this confident boasting. 5. I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness. 6. Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7. Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work. 9. As it is written, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.” 10. Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; 11. you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces through us thanksgiving to God. 12. For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God; 13. seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all; 14. while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15. Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! 1. Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2. Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh. 3. For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh; 4. for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, 5. throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; 6. and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full. 7. Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also we are Christ’s. 8. For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed, 9. that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters. 10. For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.” 11. Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present. 12. For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding. 13. But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you. 14. For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ, 15. not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence, 16. so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done. 17. But “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” 18. For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends. 1. I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me. 2. For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3. But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different “good news”, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough. 5. For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles. 6. But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things. 7. Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge? 8. I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you. 9. When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn’t a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so. 10. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11. Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows. 12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we. 13. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ’s apostles. 14. And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. 15. It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 16. I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little. 17. That which I speak, I don’t speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting. 18. Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast. 19. For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise. 20. For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face. 21. I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also. 22. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I. 23. Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often. 24. Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one. 25. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep. 26. I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers; 27. in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness. 28. Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies. 29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation? 30. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness. 31. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forever more, knows that I don’t lie. 32. In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me. 33. Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands. 1. It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2. I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. 3. I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), 4. how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. 6. For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me. 7. By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. 8. Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9. He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. 11. I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing. 12. Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works. 13. For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong. 14. Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less? 16. But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception. 17. Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you? 18. I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit? Didn’t we walk in the same steps? 19. Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 20. For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots; 21. that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed. 1. This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 2. I have said beforehand, and I do say beforehand, as when I was present the second time, so now, being absent, I write to those who have sinned before now, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not spare; 3. seeing that you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me; who toward you is not weak, but is powerful in you. 4. For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you. 5. Examine your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6. But I hope that you will know that we aren’t disqualified. 7. Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate. 8. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9. For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. And this we also pray for, even your perfecting. 10. For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not deal sharply when present, according to the authority which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down. 11. Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13. All the saints greet you. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.

1. Praise Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. 2. Let Israel rejoice in him who made them. Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3. Let them praise his name in the dance! Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp! 4. For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation. 5. Let the saints rejoice in honor. Let them sing for joy on their beds. 6. May the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand; 7. To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; 8. To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9. to execute on them the written judgment. All his saints have this honor. Praise Yah!