The Death of Samson

²³ Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon^(A) their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”

Saying 28

² Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.^{(A) 3} When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen^(B) on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. ⁴ But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken^(C) off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. ⁵ That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.^(D)

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:^(A) We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”^(B) and that “There is no God but one.”^{(C) 5} For even if there are so-called gods,^(D) whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),

²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(A) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them over^(B) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.^{(C) 25} They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,^(D) and worshiped and served created things^(E) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.^(F) Amen.^(G)