New American Standard Bible NAS
New International Version NIV
15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
15
The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
16 They said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."
16
“Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.” “No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”
17 But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him.
17
But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him.
18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not say to you, 'Do not go '?"
18
When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."
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 He said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him.
20
“Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the LORD , 'I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.' "
21
Then he went out to the spring and threw 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 So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
22
And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!"
23
From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!”
24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD . Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.
24
He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.
25 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
25
And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.