Heliodorus in Jerusalem

1When Onias was high priest of the nation, the holy city of Jerusalem always had peace. Onias hated evil and loved God, which made everyone careful to obey the Law. 2Many kings showed great respect for the temple in those days and even brought it expensive gifts. 3 For example, King Seleucus of Asia used to pay for the daily sacrifices with money from the taxes he collected.

4While Onias was still high priest, a man named Simon from the Benjamin tribe was a high official in the temple. And one day he started arguing with Onias about how to run the Jerusalem marketplace. 5 Simon lost the argument and went to Apollonius, the governor of Southwest Syria Province, 6and said, "There is more money in the temple treasury than can be counted. And since the money is not used to pay for sacrifices, it may as well be placed under the authority of the king."

7Apollonius told King Seleucus about the money in the temple, and the king ordered Heliodorus, his highest official, to bring it to him. 8So Heliodorus left at once for Jerusalem. But he told everyone that he was on his way to inspect the towns of Southwest Syria Province.

9Onias the high priest warmly welcomed Heliodorus to Jerusalem. Then Heliodorus explained, "I came to the city because someone told me there is a lot of money in your temple treasury. Is this true?"

10Onias answered:

There is money in the treasury, but some of it is for widows and orphans, 11and some of it belongs to Hyrcanus, a very important man. At the most, you will find only 400,000 silver coins and 200,000 pieces of gold. That devil Simon lied to you. 12Anyway, I can't possibly let you rob our people of their silver and gold. They trust this sacred temple and think their money is safe. After all, everyone in the world respects this holy place.

13Heliodorus answered, "King Seleucus has ordered me to collect the money for the royal treasury, and I'm going to do just that."

Heliodorus Causes an Uproar in Jerusalem

14After Heliodorus had set a day to collect the money, he went into the temple to take charge of the workers who were counting the silver and gold.

Meanwhile, everyone in Jerusalem was in terrible agony. 15The priests in their sacred robes were lying face down on the ground in front of the altar and praying, "Our God, please protect this silver and gold! You yourself made the law that keeps our money safe while it is stored in the temple."

16It was heartbreaking just to look at Onias the high priest. His face was pale because of his suffering, 17and his trembling body showed that he was terrified and tormented.

18Heliodorus was about to disgrace the temple, and so families ran out of their houses and huddled together in the streets to pray. 19Grown women put on sackcloth skirts. Young women who had never been allowed outdoors ran to the city gates or to the city wall, or just stared out of their windows. 20Everyone raised their hands toward heaven, begging God for help.

21It was a dreadful sight to see the high priest in such anguish and agony and the people lying face down on the ground.

God Punishes Heliodorus

22 Everyone kept begging the Lord All-Powerful to protect the money that had been left in the temple. 23-24Meanwhile, Heliodorus and his guards walked right into the treasury, just as they had planned. But God is more powerful than all spirits and authorities, and he sent such a horrible vision that it terrified Heliodorus and his arrogant followers, leaving them weak from fear. 25 In the vision, they saw a gruesome rider with gold weapons and gold armor. The rider's horse wore a fancy harness and charged furiously at Heliodorus, kicking at him with its hoofs.

26Two very strong and handsome young men in fine clothes suddenly appeared. One stood on each side of Heliodorus and beat him severely with whips, 27until he fainted and fell to the ground. Then his guards picked him up and placed him on a mat.

28Only a short time before this happened, Heliodorus had led a crowd of followers and guards into the treasury. Now they had to carry this helpless man away, and everyone clearly saw the power of God.

29After Heliodorus had seen and felt God's mighty strength, he lay speechless and near death. 30But everyone else praised the Lord God All-Powerful because of the miracle that had kept the temple safe. A little while earlier, the temple was filled with fear and confusion, but now there was joy and happiness because the Lord had appeared.

Heliodorus Tells Everyone about God

31Heliodorus was at the point of death, and a few of his friends quickly begged Onias to ask God Most High to let him live. 32Onias did not want King Seleucus to think that the Jews had plotted to kill Heliodorus. And so he offered a sacrifice and asked God to make Heliodorus well.

33While Onias was offering the sacrifice, the two young men appeared to Heliodorus again. They were still dressed in their fine clothes, and they said, "Heliodorus, you should be grateful for Onias! It was because of him that the Lord did not take your life. 34God in heaven was the one who punished you. Now you must tell everyone how powerful God is." After saying this, the young men disappeared.

35Heliodorus offered his own sacrifice, then made a lot of promises to the Lord who had saved his life. He said goodbye to Onias and led his soldiers back to King Seleucus. 36 He told everyone, "With my own eyes, I have seen God Most High work miracles."

37One day, Seleucus asked Heliodorus, "Who should I send to Jerusalem this time?"

Heliodorus answered, 38"Send someone you don't like or an enemy of your government! Whoever you send will be killed or badly beaten, because God's power surrounds the Jerusalem temple. 39This God lives in heaven, but he guards that place and kills everyone who tries to harm it."

40So God kept Heliodorus from robbing the temple treasury.