²⁰ That night God came to Balaam^(A) and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”^(B)

¹³ ‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord^(A)—and I must say only what the Lord says’?^(B)

²⁶ Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”^(A)

¹² He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”^(A)

³⁵ The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(A) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(B) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(C) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(D) 11} For this reason God sends them^(E) a powerful delusion^(F) so that they will believe the lie^{(G) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(H)

² Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts^(A) and put wicked stumbling blocks^(B) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?^{(C) 4} Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. ⁵ I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted^(D) me for their idols.’^(E)