Watch Nat Turner Engage in Biblical War of Words in This Tense Clip From 'The Birth of a Nation' (Exclusive)

Warning: Clip contains explicit language.

Religion is omnipresent in The Birth of a Nation, Nate Parker’s acclaimed (if controversial) biopic about slavery rebellion leader Nat Turner.

As portrayed in the film by Parker, Turner was a mild-mannered preacher who traveled Virginia at the behest of his master (Armie Hammer), delivering sermons to fellow slaves. It’s ultimately through the use of scripture that Turner would orchestrate the 1831 uprising that has become synonymous with his name.

In the exclusive clip above, you can see how the interpretation of biblical text fueled not only debates, but Turner’s increasingly fiery drive to take up arms against slave owners.

Nat Turner is being reprimanded by Hammer’s Samuel Turner for baptizing a white man. He references the King James Bible in his defense, inciting a furious quote-off with Samuel’s cohort the Rev. Walthall (Mark Boone Junior) that crescendos with Nat’s impassioned proclamation to “Beware of false prophets who come dressed in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves.”

The Birth of a Nation opens Oct. 7. Watch the trailer: