Samson Dies with the Philistines

²³ Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to ^(A)Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said:

²⁴ When the people saw him, they ^(B)praised their god; for they said:

²⁵ So it happened, when their hearts were ^(C)merry, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars. ²⁶ Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them.” ²⁷ Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there—about three thousand men and women on the ^(D)roof watching while Samson performed.

²⁸ Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, ^(E)remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” ²⁹ And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. ³⁰ Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.

^47 (A)But Solomon built Him a house.

⁴⁸ “However, ^(B)the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

Israel Resists the Holy Spirit

⁵¹ “You ^(E)stiff-necked^[a] and ^(F)uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. ^52 (G)Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of ^(H)the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, ^53 (I)who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

Stephen the Martyr

^54 (J)When they heard these things they were ^[b]cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. ⁵⁵ But he, ^(K)being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the ^(L)glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, ⁵⁶ and said, “Look! ^(M)I see the heavens opened and the ^(N)Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; ⁵⁸ and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And ^(O)the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, ^(P)receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ^(Q)“Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The Fruitful Grain of Wheat

²⁰ Now there ^(A)were certain Greeks among those ^(B)who came up to worship at the feast. ²¹ Then they came to Philip, ^(C)who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

²² Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, ^(D)“The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, ^(E)unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much ^[a]grain. ^25 (F)He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him ^(G)follow Me; and ^(H)where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Jesus Predicts His Death on the Cross

^27 (I)“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? ^(J)But for this purpose I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify Your name.”

^(K)Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

²⁹ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

³⁰ Jesus answered and said, ^(L)“This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world; now ^(M)the ruler of this world will be cast out. ³² And I, ^(N)if I am ^[b]lifted up from the earth, will draw ^(O)all peoples to Myself.” ^33 (P)This He said, signifying by what death He would die.