And Moses said to them: "Have you kept all the women alive?

"Look, these [women] caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

"Now therefore, please, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if [it is] the children of men, [may] they [be] cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, 'Go, serve other gods.'

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, [you] son of the devil, [you] enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or [if] you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted -- you may well put up with it!

For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

And [this occurred] because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

For when they speak great swelling [words] of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

"But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch [which] he made.

His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

The nations have sunk down in the pit [which] they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.

He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.

The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

[In] the house of the righteous [there is] much treasure, But in the revenue of the wicked is trouble.

[There is] desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.

" Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.

"You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.

But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

I have been young, and [now] am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

[He is] ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants [are] blessed.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.