² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon^(A) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”^(B)

³⁷ One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek^(A) and Sharezer killed him with the sword,^(B) and they escaped to the land of Ararat.^(C) And Esarhaddon^(D) his son succeeded him as king.

Samaria Resettled

²⁴ The king of Assyria^(A) brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim^(B) and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns.

²⁷ Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” 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.

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(C) who bought them^(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,^(A) so also these teachers oppose^(B) the truth. They are men of depraved minds,^(C) who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

⁴ This matter arose because some false believers^(A) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(B) the freedom^(C) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(A) deceitful^(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(C) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(E)