⁵⁴ When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”^[a](A)

¹⁰ But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.^(A)

¹¹ Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up^[a] and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king’s order: Come down quickly!” ¹² But Elijah answered him,^[b] “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

¹³ Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. So the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.^{(B) 14} Look, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.”

¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. ¹⁵ This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.^{(A) 16} For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.^{(B) 17} But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.^{(C) 18} And the fruit of righteousness^[a] is sown in peace by those who make peace.^(D)

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,^{(A) 20} for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.^[a]

²⁹ And now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,^{(A) 30} while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant^[a] Jesus.”^(B)

³ One of its heads seemed to have received a death blow, but its fatal wound^[a] had been healed. In amazement the whole earth followed the beast.^(A)

³¹ But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the Lord the God of Israel with all his heart; he did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam that he caused Israel to commit.^(A)

² So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites; although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)^(A)

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