¹³ Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ He took the cloak^(A) that had fallen from Elijah and struck^(B) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

¹⁵ The company^(C) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit^(D) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. ¹⁶ “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit^(E) of the Lord has picked him up^(F) and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”

¹⁷ But they persisted until he was too embarrassed^(G) to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. ¹⁸ When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Healing of the Water

¹⁹ The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”

²⁰ “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

²¹ Then he went out to the spring and threw^(H) the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” ²² And the water has remained pure^(I) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Elisha Is Jeered

²³ From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered^(J) at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” ²⁴ He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse^(K) on them in the name^(L) of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. ²⁵ And he went on to Mount Carmel^(M) and from there returned to Samaria.

¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them.^(A) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(B) 17} Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.^{(C) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(D) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(E) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(F) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(G) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(H) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(I) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(J)

²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders^(A) to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

No Other Gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called^(A) you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel^(B)— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion^(C) and are trying to pervert^(D) the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,^(E) let them be under God’s curse!^{(F) 9} As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,^(G) let them be under God’s curse!

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,^{(A) 15} and how from infancy^(B) you have known the Holy Scriptures,^(C) which are able to make you wise^(D) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed^(E) and is useful for teaching,^(F) rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,^{(G) 17} so that the servant of God^[a](H) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^(I)