The Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,^(A) they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods^[a] who will go before^(B) us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”^(C)

² Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings^(D) that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ He took what they handed him and made it into an idol^(E) cast in the shape of a calf,^(F) fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,^[b](G) Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”^(H)

⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,^(A) have become corrupt.^{(B) 8} They have been quick to turn away^(C) from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol^(D) cast in the shape of a calf.^(E) They have bowed down to it and sacrificed^(F) to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’^(G)

⁹ “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked^(H) people. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone^(I) so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy^(J) them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”^(K)

Philip in Samaria

⁴ Those who had been scattered^(A) preached the word wherever they went.^{(B) 5} Philip^(C) went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many,^(D) and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.^{(E) 8} So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

⁹ Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery^(F) in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,^{(G) 10} and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”^{(H) 11} They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God^(I) and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,^(J) both men and women. ¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles^(K) he saw.