³⁶ Your servant has killed both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.”

¹⁰ And the Philistine said, “Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together.”^(A)

²⁸ For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something external and physical.^{(A) 29} Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not the written code. Such a person receives praise not from humans but from God.^(B)

²² The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a mortal!” ²³ And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.^(A)

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. ² He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.^(A)

³⁸ So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail;^{(A) 39} but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”

They were convinced by him,^(B)

³ On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth shall come together against it.^(A)

⁸ For thus said the Lord of hosts after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.^[a](A)

²⁷ And they do not lie with the fallen warriors of long ago^[a] who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were laid under their heads and whose shields^[b] are upon their bones; for the terror of the warriors was in the land of the living.^{(A) 28} So you shall be broken and lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are killed by the sword.

²⁹ Edom is there, its kings and all its princes, who for all their might are laid with those who are killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the Pit.^(B)

³⁰ The princes of the north are there, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down in shame with the slain, for all the terror that they caused by their might; they lie uncircumcised with those who are killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.^(C)

³¹ When Pharaoh sees them, he will be consoled for all his hordes—Pharaoh and all his army, killed by the sword, says the Lord God. ³² For he^[c] spread terror in the land of the living; therefore he shall be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword—Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord God.