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

³⁸ “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”^(A)

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)

¹⁶ They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(A) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(B)

¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,^(A) but their own appetites.^(B) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive^(C) the minds of naive people.

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)