⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

³ Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand,^(A) they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”^{(B) 5} But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.^{(C) 6} The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.^(D)

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

¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes^(A) and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

¹⁸ they will pick up snakes^(A) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on^(B) sick people, and they will get well.”

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son^(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.^(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering^(E) on a mountain I will show you.^(F)”