^3 (A)Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, ^(B)for it is better for me to die than to live.”

⁴ But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. ^(A)And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly

¹⁵ If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

²¹ For to me ^(A)to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²² If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ^23 (B)I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is ^(C)to depart and ^(D)be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴ But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ^25 (E)Convinced of this, ^(F)I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your ^(G)progress and ^(H)joy in the faith,

⁸ When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching ^(A)east wind, ^(B)and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he ^(C)was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, ^(D)“It is better for me to die than to live.”

³ And the people ^(A)quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished ^(B)when our brothers perished before the Lord!

¹⁵ But ^(A)I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone ^(B)deprive me of my ground for boasting.