The Pharaoh said to the people around him, "He is certainly a skillful magician. 34 Who would drive you out of your land by his magic. Now what counsel ye? 35 They replied: 'Put him and his brother off for a while, and send heralds to your cities 36 That they should bring to you every skillful magician. 37 So the sorcerers were assembled for the appointed time of a fixed day. 38 and the people were told: "Will you join the assembly? 39 so that we might follow [in the footsteps of] the sorcerers if it is they who prevail?" 40 Then, when the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, 'Shall we indeed have a wage, if we should be the victors?' 41 He said, “Yes, and you will then become close to me.” 42 Moses said to the magicians, "Throw down whatever you are going to throw." 43 Thereupon they threw their [magic ropes and their staffs, and said: "By Pharaoh's might, behold, it is we indeed who have prevailed!" 44 Then Moses threw down his staff, and it swallowed up all that they had conjured into being. 45 And the magicians were thrown down prostrate; 46 They said: we believe in the Lord of the worlds. 47 the Lord of Moses and Aaron.' 48 Pharaoh said: "You accepted the word of Moses even before I granted you the leave to do so. Surely he is your chief who has taught you magic. Soon shall you come to know. I shall cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides and shall crucify all of you." 49 They said: "No matter! for us, we shall but return to our Lord! 50 Verily we long that our Lord shall forgive us our faults because we have been the first of the believers 51