⁵⁴ And when His disciples ^(A)James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, ^[a]just as ^(B)Elijah did?”

¹⁰ So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then ^(A)let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. ¹¹ Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men.

And he answered and said to him: “Man of God, thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly!’ ”

¹² So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

¹³ Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and ^[a]fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours ^(B)be precious in your sight. ¹⁴ Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.”

¹⁴ But if you have ^(A)bitter envy and ^[a]self-seeking in your hearts, ^(B)do not boast and lie against the truth. ^15 (C)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For ^(D)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But ^(E)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, ^(F)without partiality ^(G)and without hypocrisy. ^18 (H)Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Qualities Needed in Trials

^19 [a]So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, ^(A)slow to speak, ^(B)slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants ^(A)that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, ^(B)and that signs and wonders may be done ^(C)through the name of ^(D)Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³ And I saw one of his heads ^(A)as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And ^(B)all the world marveled and followed the beast.

³¹ But Jehu ^[a]took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from ^(A)the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

² So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but ^(A)of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them ^(B)in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

¹⁶ Then he said, “Come with me, and see my ^(A)zeal for the Lord.” So they had him ride in his chariot.