“You shall not make for yourself an image(A) in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

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Reward for Obedience

26 “‘Do not make idols(A) or set up an image(B) or a sacred stone(C) for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone(D) in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.

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“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.(A)

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Idolatry Forbidden

15 You saw no form(A) of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb(B) out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully,(C) 16 so that you do not become corrupt(D) and make for yourselves an idol,(E) an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,(F) 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. 19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun,(G) the moon and the stars(H)—all the heavenly array(I)—do not be enticed(J) into bowing down to them and worshiping(K) things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

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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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“‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.(A) I am the Lord your God.(B)

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15 “Cursed is anyone who makes an idol(A)—a thing detestable(B) to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(C)

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29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.(A)

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The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land,(A) and ugly, festering sores(B) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.(C)

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14 Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;
    every goldsmith is shamed(A) by his idols.
The images he makes are a fraud;(B)
    they have no breath in them.
15 They are worthless,(C) the objects of mockery;
    when their judgment comes, they will perish.
16 He who is the Portion(D) of Jacob is not like these,
    for he is the Maker of all things,(E)
including Israel, the people of his inheritance(F)
    the Lord Almighty is his name.(G)

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But their idols are silver and gold,(A)
    made by human hands.(B)
They have mouths, but cannot speak,(C)
    eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
    noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel,
    feet, but cannot walk,
    nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

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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.

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They are all senseless(A) and foolish;(B)
    they are taught by worthless wooden idols.(C)
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish(D)
    and gold from Uphaz.
What the craftsman and goldsmith have made(E)
    is then dressed in blue and purple—
    all made by skilled workers.

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16 All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;(A)
    they will go off into disgrace together.

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“I am the Lord;(A) that is my name!(B)
    I will not yield my glory to another(C)
    or my praise to idols.(D)

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15 The idols of the nations(A) are silver and gold,
    made by human hands.(B)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(C)
    eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
    nor is there breath(D) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

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23 Be careful not to forget the covenant(A) of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol(B) in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire,(C) a jealous God.(D)

25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt(E) and make any kind of idol,(F) doing evil(G) in the eyes of the Lord your God and arousing his anger,

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26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus(A) and in practically the whole province of Asia.(B) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.(C) 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”(D) 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius(E) and Aristarchus,(F) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,(G) and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples(H) would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

32 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.(I) Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned(J) for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”(K)

35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians,(L) doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?

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10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls(A) all kinds of crawling things and unclean(B) animals and all the idols of Israel.(C)

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A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast(A) and its image(B) and receives its mark on their forehead(C) or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,(D) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.(E) They will be tormented with burning sulfur(F) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.(G) There will be no rest day or night(H) for those who worship the beast and its image,(I) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”(J)

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For the practices of the peoples are worthless;
    they cut a tree out of the forest,
    and a craftsman(A) shapes it with his chisel.(B)
They adorn it with silver(C) and gold;
    they fasten it with hammer and nails
    so it will not totter.(D)
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
    their idols cannot speak;(E)
they must be carried
    because they cannot walk.(F)
Do not fear them;
    they can do no harm(G)
    nor can they do any good.”(H)

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“With whom will you compare me or count me equal?
    To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?(A)
Some pour out gold from their bags
    and weigh out silver on the scales;
they hire a goldsmith(B) to make it into a god,
    and they bow down and worship it.(C)
They lift it to their shoulders and carry(D) it;
    they set it up in its place, and there it stands.
    From that spot it cannot move.(E)
Even though someone cries out to it, it cannot answer;(F)
    it cannot save(G) them from their troubles.

“Remember(H) this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels.(I)

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All who make idols(A) are nothing,
    and the things they treasure are worthless.(B)
Those who would speak up for them are blind;(C)
    they are ignorant, to their own shame.(D)
10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(E)
    which can profit nothing?(F)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(G)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.(H)

12 The blacksmith(I) takes a tool
    and works with it in the coals;
he shapes an idol with hammers,
    he forges it with the might of his arm.(J)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.(K)
13 The carpenter(L) measures with a line
    and makes an outline with a marker;
he roughs it out with chisels
    and marks it with compasses.
He shapes it in human form,(M)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.(N)
14 He cut down cedars,
    or perhaps took a cypress or oak.
He let it grow among the trees of the forest,
    or planted a pine,(O) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(P) for burning;
    some of it he takes and warms himself,
    he kindles a fire and bakes bread.
But he also fashions a god and worships(Q) it;
    he makes an idol and bows(R) down to it.
16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire;
    over it he prepares his meal,
    he roasts his meat and eats his fill.
He also warms himself and says,
    “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.(S)
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(T)
He prays(U) to it and says,
    “Save(V) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(W) nothing;
    their eyes(X) 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(Y) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(Z)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(AA) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(AB)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(AC) a deluded(AD) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(AE)

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14 Because of the signs(A) it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived(B) the inhabitants of the earth.(C) It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.(D) 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship(E) the image to be killed.(F)

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20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent(A) of the work of their hands;(B) they did not stop worshiping demons,(C) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.(D)

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