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17 Everyone is stupid and without knowledge;
    goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols,
for their images are false,
    and there is no breath in them.(A)

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17 “Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;
    every goldsmith is shamed by his idols.
The images he makes are a fraud;(A)
    they have no breath in them.

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18 What use is an idol
    once its maker has shaped it—
    a cast image, a teacher of lies?
For its maker trusts in what has been made,
    though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!(A)
19 Alas for you who say to the wood, “Wake up!”
    to silent stone, “Rouse yourself!”
    Can it teach?
See, it is gold and silver plated,
    and there is no breath in it at all.(B)

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18 “Of what value(A) is an idol(B) carved by a craftsman?
    Or an image(C) that teaches lies?
For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
    he makes idols that cannot speak.(D)
19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
    Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’(E)
Can it give guidance?
    It is covered with gold and silver;(F)
    there is no breath in it.”(G)

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14 Everyone is stupid and without knowledge;
    goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols,
for their images are false,
    and there is no breath in them.(A)

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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.

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18 They do not know, nor do they comprehend, for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand.(A) 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. Now shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?”(B) 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a fraud?”(C)

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18 They know nothing, they understand(A) nothing;
    their eyes(B) 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(C) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(D)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(E) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(F)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(G) a deluded(H) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(I)

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The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind
    to see if there are any who are wise,
    who seek after God.(A)

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The Lord looks down from heaven(A)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(B)
    any who seek God.(C)

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19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?(A) 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe.(B)

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19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[a](A)

20 Where is the wise person?(B) Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?(C) Has not God made foolish(D) the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world(E) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save(F) those who believe.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14

20 Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made. So they are without excuse,(A) 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless hearts were darkened.(B) 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.(C)

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20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,(A) so that people are without excuse.(B)

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.(C) 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(D) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images(E) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

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Declare among the nations and proclaim;
    set up a banner and proclaim;
    do not conceal it, say:
“Babylon is taken;
    Bel is put to shame;
    Merodach is dismayed.
Her images are put to shame;
    her idols are dismayed.”(A)

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“Announce and proclaim(A) among the nations,
    lift up a banner(B) and proclaim it;
    keep nothing back, but say,
‘Babylon will be captured;(C)
    Bel(D) will be put to shame,(E)
    Marduk(F) filled with terror.
Her images will be put to shame
    and her idols(G) filled with terror.’

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17 they have ears, but they do not hear,
    a nose, but there is no breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them
    and all who trust them
    shall become like them.

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17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
    nor is there breath(A) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

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Those who make them are like them;
    so are all who trust in them.(A)

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Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

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They have mouths, but they do not speak;
    they have eyes, but they do not see.

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They have mouths, but cannot speak,(A)
    eyes, but cannot see.

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Psalm 53

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt; they commit abominable acts;
    there is no one who does good.(A)

God looks down from heaven on humankind
    to see if there are any who are wise,
    who seek after God.(B)

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Psalm 53[a](A)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.[b] A maskil[c] of David.

The fool(B) says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”(C)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

God looks down from heaven(D)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,(E)
    any who seek God.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
  2. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!(A)
The dullard cannot know;
    the stupid cannot understand this:

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How great are your works,(A) Lord,
    how profound your thoughts!(B)
Senseless people(C) do not know,
    fools do not understand,

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