Elijah Taken to Heaven

2 When the Lord was going to take Elijah to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha left Gilgal. ² Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Bethel.”

Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Bethel.

³ Some of the disciples of the prophets at Bethel came to Elisha. They asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

⁴ Elijah said, “Elisha, please stay here because the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”

Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.” So they went to Jericho.

⁵ Then some of the disciples of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha. They asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

⁶ Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here because the Lord is sending me to the Jordan River.”

Elisha answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not abandon you.”

⁷ Fifty disciples of the prophets stood at a distance as Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan River. ⁸ Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed ⌞the river⌟ on dry ground.

⁹ While they were crossing, Elijah asked Elisha, “What should I do for you before I’m taken from you?”

Elisha answered, “Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.”

¹⁰ Elijah said, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me taken from you, it will be yours. Otherwise, it will not.”

¹¹ As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.

¹² When Elisha saw this, he cried out, “Master! Master! Israel’s chariot and horses!” When he couldn’t see Elijah anymore, he grabbed his own garment and tore it in two ⌞to show his grief⌟. ¹³ Then he picked up Elijah’s coat (which had fallen off Elijah), went back, and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. ¹⁴ He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed ⌞the river⌟.

Introduction

1 In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about what Jesus began to do and teach. This included everything from the beginning ⌞of his life⌟ ² until the day he was taken to heaven. Before he was taken to heaven, he gave instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

³ After his death Jesus showed the apostles a lot of convincing evidence that he was alive. For 40 days he appeared to them and talked with them about God’s kingdom.

⁴ Once, while he was meeting with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for what the Father had promised. Jesus said to them, “I’ve told you what the Father promises: ⁵ John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

⁶ So when the apostles came together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you’re going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ Jesus told them, “You don’t need to know about times or periods that the Father has determined by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you. Then you will be my witnesses to testify about me in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After he had said this, he was taken to heaven. A cloud hid him so that they could no longer see him.

¹⁰ They were staring into the sky as he departed. Suddenly, two men in white clothes stood near them. ¹¹ They asked, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking at the sky? Jesus, who was taken from you to heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go to heaven.”