⁴ But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—

³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴ When ^(A)the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ^(B)“No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, ^(C)Justice^[a] has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ He, however, ^(D)shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, ^(E)they changed their minds and ^(F)said that he was a god.

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

¹⁹ Behold, I have given you authority ^(A)to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of ^(B)the enemy, and ^(C)nothing shall hurt you.

^18 (A)they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; ^(B)they will lay their hands ^(C)on the sick, and they will recover.”

The Sacrifice of Isaac

22 After these things ^(A)God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to ^(B)the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”