But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him,“ Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If Baal truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar!”

约阿施回答站着攻击他的众人说：“你们是为巴力争论吗？你们要救他吗？谁为他争论，趁早将谁治死！巴力若果是神，有人拆毁他的坛，让他为自己争论吧！”

约阿施对站着敌对他的众人说：“你们是为巴力辩护吗？你们要救它吗？谁为它辩护，就在早晨把谁处死吧！巴力如果是上帝，有人拆毁了它的坛，就让它为自己辩护吧！”

约阿施对站着敌对他的众人说：“你们是为巴力辩护吗？你们要救它吗？谁为它辩护，就在早晨把谁处死吧！巴力如果是神，有人拆毁了它的坛，就让它为自己辩护吧！”

约阿施对气势汹汹的人群说：“你们这样做是要为巴力辩护吗？是要救它吗？谁为巴力辩护，今天早晨就处死谁。有人拆毁巴力的祭坛，如果它是神明，就让它为自己辩护吧！”

约阿施对所有站着攻击他的人说：“你们要为巴力辩护吗？或是你们要救他呢？谁为他辩护，到早晨就必死亡。巴力若是神，有人拆毁了他的祭坛，就让他为自己辩护吧。”

約阿施回答站着攻擊他的眾人說：「你們是為巴力爭論嗎？你們要救他嗎？誰為他爭論，趁早將誰治死！巴力若果是神，有人拆毀他的壇，讓他為自己爭論吧！」

約阿施對站着敵對他的眾人說：「你們是為巴力辯護嗎？你們要救它嗎？誰為它辯護，就在早晨把誰處死吧！巴力如果是上帝，有人拆毀了它的壇，就讓它為自己辯護吧！」

約阿施對站着敵對他的眾人說：「你們是為巴力辯護嗎？你們要救它嗎？誰為它辯護，就在早晨把誰處死吧！巴力如果是神，有人拆毀了它的壇，就讓它為自己辯護吧！」

約阿施對氣勢洶洶的人群說：「你們這樣做是要為巴力辯護嗎？是要救它嗎？誰為巴力辯護，今天早晨就處死誰。有人拆毀巴力的祭壇，如果它是神明，就讓它為自己辯護吧！」

約阿施對所有站著攻擊他的人說：“你們要為巴力辯護嗎？或是你們要救他呢？誰為他辯護，到早晨就必死亡。巴力若是神，有人拆毀了他的祭壇，就讓他為自己辯護吧。”

約阿施對站着攻擊他的眾人說：『你們是為巴力辯護麼？還是要救他呢？誰為他辯護，誰就該趁早被處死；巴力如果是神，若有人拆毁他的祭壇，就讓他為自己辯護吧。』

約阿施對敵之者曰、爾欲為巴力爭辯乎、抑援之乎、凡為之爭辯者、今晨必死、如巴力果為神、人毀其壇、任彼自爭可也、

約押對曰、汝欲為巴力訟乎、抑為之援手乎。如人欲為之訟、則其人必見殺於今晨。如巴力為上帝、既傾其壇、則巴力可以自訟。

約阿施對旁立諸人曰、爾欲為巴力爭論乎、抑欲援之乎、凡為之爭論者、未及晨即見殺、如巴力果為神、人既毀其壇、則必為己爭論、

But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him,“ Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”

But Joash replied to the angry crowd around him. He asked,“ Are you going to stand up for Baal? Are you trying to save him? Those who stand up for him will be put to death by morning! Is Baal really a god? If he is, he can stand up for himself when someone tears down his altar.”

But Joash said to all who stood against him,“ Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.”

But Joash said to all who stood against him,“ Would you plead Baal’s case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case because someone tore down his altar.”

But Joash said to all who stood against him,“ Will you contend for Baal, or will you save him? Whoever will contend for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, since someone has torn down his altar!”

But Joash said to all who stood against him,“ Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!”

And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye contend for Baal? Or will ye save him? he that will contend for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him contend for himself, because one hath broken down his altar.

But Joash said to all who stood against him,“ Would you plead Baal’s case for him? Would you save him? Whoever pleads his case will be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead his own case because someone tore down his altar.”

And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst[ it is yet] morning: if he[ be] a god, let him plead for himself, because[ one] hath cast down his altar.

But Joash said to all those who confronted him,“ Must you fight Baal’s battles? Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause will die by morning! If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles! After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.”

Joash said to all who stood against him,“ Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”

Then Elijah commanded,“ Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

Say this to those who worship other gods:“ Your so called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth and from under the heavens.”

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.

Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound.

Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything— good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us.

They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.

About noontime Elijah began mocking them.“ You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed,“ for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”

Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight.

They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.

So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

“ You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.

“ When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violate the covenant.For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars— the forces of heaven— which I have strictly forbidden.When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death.But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses.The witnesses must throw the first stones, and then all the people may join in. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you.

Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing.

The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the Lord your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.“ Suppose someone secretly entices you— even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend— and says,‘ Let us go worship other gods’— gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth.But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in.Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery.Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.“ When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, you may hearthat scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying,‘ Let us go worship other gods’— gods you have not known before.In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find that the report is true and such a detestable act has been committed among you,you must attack that town and completely destroy all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock.Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the open square and burn it. Burn the entire town as a burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt.Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a large nation, just as he swore to your ancestors.“ The Lord your God will be merciful only if you listen to his voice and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what pleases him.