³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath-haaraloth.^[a]

The Cross and Self-Denial

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^(A)

²³ Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him.^{(A) 24} Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.^{(B) 25} And his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁶ That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised, ²⁷ and all the men of his house, slaves born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.