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But when the citizens of Ashdod went to see it the next morning, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord! So they took Dagon and put him in his place again.

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When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen(A) on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.

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A Message about Egypt

19 This message came to me concerning Egypt:

Look! The Lord is advancing against Egypt,
    riding on a swift cloud.
The idols of Egypt tremble.
    The hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear.

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A Prophecy Against Egypt

19 A prophecy(A) against Egypt:(B)

See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud(C)
    and is coming to Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him,
    and the hearts of the Egyptians melt(D) with fear.

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Babylon’s False Gods

46 Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon,
    bow as they are lowered to the ground.
They are being hauled away on ox carts.
    The poor beasts stagger under the weight.
Both the idols and their owners are bowed down.
    The gods cannot protect the people,
and the people cannot protect the gods.
    They go off into captivity together.

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Gods of Babylon

46 Bel(A) bows down, Nebo stoops low;
    their idols(B) are borne by beasts of burden.[a]
The images that are carried(C) about are burdensome,
    a burden for the weary.
They stoop and bow down together;
    unable to rescue the burden,
    they themselves go off into captivity.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 46:1 Or are but beasts and cattle

They carry it around on their shoulders,
    and when they set it down, it stays there.
    It can’t even move!
And when someone prays to it, there is no answer.
    It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.

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They lift it to their shoulders and carry(A) it;
    they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
    From that spot it cannot move.(B)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(C)
    it cannot save(D) them from their troubles.

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11 The Lord will terrify them
    as he destroys all the gods in the land.
Then nations around the world will worship the Lord,
    each in their own land.

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11 The Lord will be awesome(A) to them
    when he destroys all the gods(B) of the earth.(C)
Distant nations will bow down to him,(D)
    all of them in their own lands.

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The Temple of the Living God

14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil[a]? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

“I will live in them
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 6:15 Greek Beliar; various other manuscripts render this proper name of the devil as Belian, Beliab, or Belial.
  2. 6:16 Lev 26:12; Ezek 37:27.

Warning Against Idolatry

14 Do not be yoked together(A) with unbelievers.(B) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?(C) 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial[a]?(D) Or what does a believer(E) have in common with an unbeliever?(F) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?(G) For we are the temple(H) of the living God.(I) As God has said:

“I will live with them
    and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.”[b](J)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Greek Beliar, a variant of Belial
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Lev. 26:12; Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27

18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

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18 He replied, “I saw Satan(A) fall like lightning from heaven.(B) 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes(C) and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”(D)

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11 And whenever those possessed by evil[a] spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!”

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Footnotes

  1. 3:11 Greek unclean; also in 3:30.

11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”(A)

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People who worship idols are stupid and foolish.
    The things they worship are made of wood!

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They are all senseless(A) and foolish;(B)
    they are taught by worthless wooden idols.(C)

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17 Then he takes what’s left
    and makes his god: a carved idol!
He falls down in front of it,
    worshiping and praying to it.
“Rescue me!” he says.
    “You are my god!”

18 Such stupidity and ignorance!
    Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see.
    Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
19 The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,
    “Why, it’s just a block of wood!
I burned half of it for heat
    and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat.
How can the rest of it be a god?
    Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”
20 The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes.
    He trusts something that can’t help him at all.
Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,
    “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

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17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(A)
He prays(B) to it and says,
    “Save(C) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(D) nothing;
    their eyes(E) are plastered over so they cannot see,
    and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
19 No one stops to think,
    no one has the knowledge or understanding(F) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(G)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(H) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(I)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(J) a deluded(K) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(L)

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The carver encourages the goldsmith,
    and the molder helps at the anvil.
    “Good,” they say. “It’s coming along fine.”
Carefully they join the parts together,
    then fasten the thing in place so it won’t fall over.

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The metalworker(A) encourages the goldsmith,(B)
    and the one who smooths with the hammer
    spurs on the one who strikes the anvil.
One says of the welding, “It is good.”
    The other nails down the idol so it will not topple.(C)

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20 Or if people are too poor for that,
    they might at least choose wood that won’t decay
and a skilled craftsman
    to carve an image that won’t fall down!

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20 A person too poor to present such an offering
    selects wood(A) that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
    to set up an idol(B) that will not topple.(C)

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Those who worship idols are disgraced—
    all who brag about their worthless gods—
    for every god must bow to him.

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All who worship images(A) are put to shame,(B)
    those who boast in idols(C)
    worship him,(D) all you gods!(E)

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