¹⁸ But when the magicians^(A) tried to produce gnats by their secret arts,^(B) they could not.

Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere,

¹⁹ the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger^(A) of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart^(B) was hard and he would not listen,^(C) just as the Lord had said.

⁹ But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men,^(A) their folly will be clear to everyone.