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:

² When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of ^(A)Dagon^[a] and set it by Dagon. ³ And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, ^(B)fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and ^(C)set it in its place again. ⁴ And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. ^(D)The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only ^[b]Dagon’s torso was left of it. ⁵ Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house ^(E)tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

⁴ Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that ^(A)an idol is nothing in the world, ^(B)and that there is no other God but one. ⁵ For even if there are ^(C)so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),

²³ and changed the glory of the ^(A)incorruptible ^(B)God into an image made like ^[a]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

^24 (C)Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, ^(D)to dishonor their bodies ^(E)among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged ^(F)the truth of God ^(G)for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.