²⁸ So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

²⁹ Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns^(A) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines^(B) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.^{(C) 30} The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; ³¹ the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek^(D) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.^{(E) 32} They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts^(F) of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. ³³ They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

³⁴ To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.^{(G) 35} When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship^(H) any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.^{(I) 36} But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm,^(J) is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. ³⁷ You must always be careful^(K) to keep the decrees^(L) and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. ³⁸ Do not forget^(M) the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. ³⁹ Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!^(A) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[a]”^(B)

²⁰ Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain,^(A) but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”^(B)

²¹ “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming^(C) when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.^{(D) 22} You Samaritans worship what you do not know;^(E) we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.^{(F) 23} Yet a time is coming and has now come^(G) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit^(H) and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit,^(I) and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,^(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.