⁷ And Samson said to them, “If this is what you do, I swear I will be avenged on you, and after that I will quit.”

¹⁹ Beloved, ^(A)never avenge yourselves, but leave it^[a] to the wrath of God, for it is written, ^(B)“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

^19 (A)And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to ^(B)Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house.

⁴ His father and mother did not know that it was ^(A)from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. ^(B)At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.