The Axe Head Recovered

1 Now the ^ysons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and ^zthrew it in there and made the iron float. 7 And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

Horses and Chariots of Fire

8 Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.

11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in ^aDothan.” 14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, ^b“Do not be afraid, for ^cthose who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of ^dhorses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please ^estrike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, ^f“My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? ^gSet bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on ^hraids into the land of Israel.

Ben-hadad’s Siege of Samaria

24 Afterward ⁱBen-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab¹ of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. 26 Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 And he said, “If the Lord will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?” 28 And the king asked her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may ^jeat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body— 31 and he said, ^k“May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.”

32 Elisha was sitting in his house, and the ^lelders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” 33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

Daleth

Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

1 Finally, my brothers,^{1 r}rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for the ^sdogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who ^tmutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the ^ucircumcision, who ^vworship by the Spirit of God² and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the ^wflesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. ^xIf anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the ^yeighth day, ^zof the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a ^aHebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a ^bPharisee; 6 as to ^czeal, a ^dpersecutor of the church; as to ^erighteousness under the law,³ blameless. 7 But whatever ^fgain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, ^gI count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. ^hFor his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a ⁱrighteousness of my own that comes from the law, but ^jthat which comes through ^kfaith in Christ, the ^lrighteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the ^mpower of his resurrection, and may ⁿshare his sufferings, ^obecoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may ^pattain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already ^qperfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^rforgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 ^sI press on toward the goal for the ^tprize of the upward ^ucall of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are ^vmature think this way, and if in anything ^wyou think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

17 Brothers, ^xjoin in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 ^yTheir end is destruction, their god is their ^zbelly, and they glory in their shame, with ^aminds set on earthly things. 20 But ^bour citizenship is ^cin heaven, and ^dfrom it we ^eawait a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will ^ftransform our ^glowly body to be ^hlike his ⁱglorious body, ^jby the power that enables him even to subject ^kall things to himself.

1 Therefore, my brothers,⁴ whom I love and long for, my ^ljoy and crown, ^mstand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to ⁿagree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion,⁵ help these women, who have ^olabored⁶ side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the ^pbook of life.

4 ^qRejoice in the Lord ^ralways; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness⁷ be known to everyone. The Lord is ^sat hand; 6 ^tdo not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication ^uwith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the ^vpeace of God, which ^wsurpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 ^xWhat you have learned⁸ and ^yreceived and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provision

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be ^zcontent. 12 I know ^ahow to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who ^bstrengthens me.

14 Yet it was kind of you to share⁹ my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that ^cin the beginning of the gospel, ^dwhen I left Macedonia, ^eno church entered into ^fpartnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the ^gfruit that increases to your credit.¹⁰ 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And ^hmy God will supply every need of yours according to his ⁱriches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 ^jTo our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22 ^kAll the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Greeting

1 Paul, a ^aprisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and ^bArchippus our ^cfellow soldier, and ^dthe church in your house:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

4 ^eI thank my God always when I ^fremember you in my prayers, 5 because ^gI hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full ^hknowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.¹ 7 For ⁱI have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

8 Accordingly, though I am ^jbold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 ^kI appeal to you for my child, ^lOnesimus,² whose ^mfather I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, ⁿin order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might ^onot be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 ^pno longer as a bondservant³ but more than a bondservant, as a beloved ^qbrother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me your ^rpartner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 ^sI, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 ^tConfident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do ^ueven more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for ^vI am hoping that ^wthrough your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

Final Greetings

23 ^xEpaphras, my ^yfellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, ^zDemas, and ^aLuke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.