What the evil people swallow is like poison; it kills them like the bite of a deadly snake.

This is God's message about the animals of the southern desert: "The ambassadors travel through dangerous country, where lions live and where there are poisonous snakes and flying dragons. They load their donkeys and camels with expensive gifts for a nation that cannot give them any help.

You and all you do are nothing; those who worship you are disgusting!

The evil plots you make are as deadly as the eggs of a poisonous snake. Crush an egg, out comes a snake! But your plots will do you no good---they are as useless as clothing made of cobwebs!

When John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to be baptized, he said to them, "You snakes---who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

You snakes---how can you say good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

You snakes and children of snakes! How do you expect to escape from being condemned to hell?

The natives saw the snake hanging on Paul's hand and said to one another, "This man must be a murderer, but Fate will not let him live, even though he escaped from the sea."

It will be like someone who runs from a lion and meets a bear! Or like someone who comes home and puts his hand on the wall---only to be bitten by a snake!

as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed;

Are they Christ's servants? I sound like a madman---but I am a better servant than they are! I have worked much harder, I have been in prison more times, I have been whipped much more, and I have been near death more often.