31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause?(A) Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”

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11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(A) but rather expose them.

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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)

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11 “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish(A) from the earth and from under the heavens.’”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 10:11 The text of this verse is in Aramaic.

Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
    their idols cannot speak;(A)
they must be carried
    because they cannot walk.(B)
Do not fear them;
    they can do no harm(C)
    nor can they do any good.”(D)

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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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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.

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Footnotes

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

23     tell us what the future holds,
    so we may know(A) that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,(B)
    so that we will be dismayed(C) and filled with fear.

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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.

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40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley(A) and slaughtered(B) there.

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29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice.(A) But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.(B)

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27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”(A)

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If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant,(A) and contrary to my command(B) has worshiped other gods,(C) bowing down to them or to the sun(D) or the moon or the stars in the sky,(E) and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true(F) and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,(G) take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.(H) On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(I) The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death,(J) and then the hands of all the people.(K) You must purge the evil(L) from among you.

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That prophet or dreamer must be put to death(A) for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn(B) you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil(C) from among you.

If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices(D) you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods”(E) (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield(F) to them or listen to them. Show them no pity.(G) Do not spare them or shield them. You must certainly put them to death.(H) Your hand(I) must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. 10 Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away(J) from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid,(K) and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.

12 If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in 13 that troublemakers(L) have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), 14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly.(M) And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you,(N) 15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely,[a](O) both its people and its livestock.(P) 16 You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town(Q) and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God.(R) That town is to remain a ruin(S) forever, never to be rebuilt, 17 and none of the condemned things[b] are to be found in your hands. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger,(T) will show you mercy,(U) and will have compassion(V) on you. He will increase your numbers,(W) as he promised(X) on oath to your ancestors— 18 because you obey the Lord your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right(Y) in his eyes.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 13:15 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Deuteronomy 13:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

Joshua son of Nun(A) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes(B)

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“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice(A) by siding with the crowd,(B)

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