24. But at the very moment that he and his bodyguard arrived at the treasury, the Lord of all supernatural powers caused such a vision to appear that everyone who had dared to enter with Heliodorus was panic-stricken and weak with fear at this display of the Lord's power.
25. In the vision they saw a horse and a rider. The horse had a richly decorated bridle, and its rider, dressed in gold armour, was frightening. Suddenly the horse rushed at Heliodorus, then reared up and struck at him with its hoofs.
26. Heliodorus also saw two unusually strong and handsome young men, wearing very fine clothes. They stood on either side of him and beat him unmercifully.
27. He immediately fell to the ground unconscious, and his men put him on a stretcher
28. and carried him out. Only a moment earlier this man had entered the treasury with a large group of men, including all his bodyguard, but now he was being carried away helpless. So they all openly acknowledged the mighty power of God.
29. Heliodorus lay there unable to speak and without hope of recovery from this demonstration of God's power.
30. But the Jews praised Almighty God because he had miraculously protected his Temple and had brought great happiness where only minutes before there had been fear and confusion.
31. Some of Heliodorus' friends quickly asked Onias the High Priest to pray that the Most High would spare the life of this man who was at the point of death.
32. So the High Priest offered a sacrifice in the hope that God would save Heliodorus, for he did not want the king to think that the Jews had done this to the man he had sent.
33. While Onias was offering the sacrifice, the two young men, wearing the same clothes as before, again appeared to Heliodorus and said, “Be grateful to the High Priest; the Lord has spared your life because of him.
34. Remember that it was the Lord of heaven who punished you. Now go and tell everyone of his great power.” When they had said this, they disappeared.
35. So Heliodorus offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made many promises, because the Lord had spared his life. Then he said goodbye to Onias and returned with his army to the king.
36. There he told everyone what the Lord, the most powerful of all gods, had done.
37. When the king asked Heliodorus who would be the best man to send on the next mission to Jerusalem, Heliodorus replied,
38. “If you have an enemy or know of someone plotting against your government, send him. He will come back badly beaten, if he comes back at all, for some strange power from God is at work there.
39. The God of Heaven watches over the Temple; he strikes down and destroys anyone who comes to harm it.”
40. That is the story of how the Temple treasury was protected from Heliodorus.