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For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.(A)

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For all the gods of the nations are idols,(A)
    but the Lord made the heavens.(B)

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15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.(A)

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15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(A) and earth.

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Thus says God, the Lord,
    who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
    and spirit to those who walk in it:(A)

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This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens,(A) who stretches them out,
    who spreads out the earth(B) with all that springs from it,(C)
    who gives breath(D) to its people,
    and life to those who walk on it:

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Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists” and that “there is no God but one.”(A)

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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 Thus shall you say to them: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.[a](A)

12 It is he who made the earth by his power,
    who established the world by his wisdom
    and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 10.11 This verse is in Aramaic

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]

12 But God made(B) the earth(C) by his power;
    he founded the world by his wisdom(D)
    and stretched out the heavens(E) by his understanding.

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Footnotes

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

18 Those who make them
    and all who trust them
    shall become like them.

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

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26 You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods.(A)

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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)

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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)
15 They are worthless, a work of delusion;
    at the time of their punishment they shall perish.

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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.

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For the customs of the peoples are false:
a tree from the forest is cut down
    and worked with an ax by the hands of an artisan;(A)
they deck it with silver and gold;
    they fasten it with hammers and nails
    so that it cannot move.(B)
Their idols[a] are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,
    and they cannot speak;
they have to be carried,
    for they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them,
    for they cannot do evil,
    nor is it in them to do good.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 10.5 Heb They

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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46 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;
    their idols are on beasts and cattle;
these things you carry are loaded
    as burdens on weary animals.(A)
They stoop; they bow down together;
    they cannot save the burden
    but themselves go into captivity.(B)

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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

Do not fear or be afraid;
    have I not told you from of old and declared it?
    You are my witnesses!
Is there any god besides me?
    There is no other rock; I know not one.(A)

The Absurdity of Idol Worship

All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know, and so they will be put to shame.(B) 10 Who would fashion a god or cast an image that can do no good?(C) 11 All its devotees shall be put to shame; the artisans, too, are merely human. Let them all assemble; let them stand up; they shall be terrified; they shall all be put to shame.(D)

12 The blacksmith works it with a tool over the coals, shaping it with hammers and forging it with his strong arm; he becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.(E) 13 The carpenter stretches a line, marks it out with a stylus, fashions it with planes, and marks it with a compass; he makes it in human form, with human beauty, to be set up in a shrine.(F) 14 He cuts down cedars or chooses a holm tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it can be used as fuel. Part of it he takes and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it, makes it a carved image and bows down before it.(G) 16 Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he roasts meat, eats it,[a] and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Ah, I am warm[b] by the fire!” 17 The rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, bows down to it and worships it; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god!”(H)

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.(I) 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?”(J) 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?”(K)

Israel Is Not Forgotten

21 Remember these things, O Jacob,
    and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you, you are my servant;
    O Israel, do not forget me.[c](L)
22 I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud
    and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.(M)

23 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;
    shout, O depths of the earth;
break forth into singing, O mountains,
    O forest and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob
    and will be glorified in Israel.(N)

24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
    who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord, who made all things,
    who alone stretched out the heavens,
    who by myself spread out the earth;(O)
25 who frustrates the omens of soothsayers
    and makes fools of diviners;
who turns back the wise
    and makes their knowledge foolish;(P)
26 who confirms the word of his servant
    and fulfills the prediction of his messengers;
who says of Jerusalem, “It shall be inhabited,”
    and of the cities of Judah, “They shall be rebuilt,
    and I will raise up their ruins”;(Q)
27 who says to the deep, “Be dry—
    I will dry up your rivers”;(R)
28 who says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd,
    and he shall carry out all my purpose”;
and who says of Jerusalem, “It shall be rebuilt,”
    and of the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”(S)

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Footnotes

  1. 44.16 Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb he eats, he roasts a roast
  2. 44.16 Q ms: MT I see
  3. 44.21 Q ms Compare Gk Syr Tg: MT you will not be forgotten by me

Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
    Did I not proclaim(A) this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God(B) besides me?
    No, there is no other Rock;(C) I know not one.”

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

12 The blacksmith(L) 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.(M)
He gets hungry and loses his strength;
    he drinks no water and grows faint.(N)
13 The carpenter(O) 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,(P)
    human form in all its glory,
    that it may dwell in a shrine.(Q)
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,(R) and the rain made it grow.
15 It is used as fuel(S) 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(T) it;
    he makes an idol and bows(U) 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.(V)
17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol;
    he bows down to it and worships.(W)
He prays(X) to it and says,
    “Save(Y) me! You are my god!”
18 They know nothing, they understand(Z) nothing;
    their eyes(AA) 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(AB) to say,
“Half of it I used for fuel;(AC)
    I even baked bread over its coals,
    I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make a detestable(AD) thing from what is left?
    Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”(AE)
20 Such a person feeds on ashes;(AF) a deluded(AG) heart misleads him;
    he cannot save himself, or say,
    “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?(AH)

21 “Remember(AI) these things, Jacob,
    for you, Israel, are my servant.(AJ)
I have made you, you are my servant;(AK)
    Israel, I will not forget you.(AL)
22 I have swept away(AM) your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return(AN) to me,
    for I have redeemed(AO) you.”

23 Sing for joy,(AP) you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
    shout aloud, you earth(AQ) beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,(AR)
    you forests and all your trees,(AS)
for the Lord has redeemed(AT) Jacob,
    he displays his glory(AU) in Israel.

Jerusalem to Be Inhabited

24 “This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer,(AV) who formed(AW) you in the womb:(AX)

I am the Lord,
    the Maker of all things,
    who stretches out the heavens,(AY)
    who spreads out the earth(AZ) by myself,
25 who foils(BA) the signs of false prophets
    and makes fools of diviners,(BB)
who overthrows the learning of the wise(BC)
    and turns it into nonsense,(BD)
26 who carries out the words(BE) of his servants
    and fulfills(BF) the predictions of his messengers,

who says of Jerusalem,(BG) ‘It shall be inhabited,’
    of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’
    and of their ruins,(BH) ‘I will restore them,’(BI)
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry,
    and I will dry up(BJ) your streams,’
28 who says of Cyrus,(BK) ‘He is my shepherd
    and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(BL) “Let it be rebuilt,”
    and of the temple,(BM) “Let its foundations(BN) be laid.”’

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15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.(A)

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15 The idols of the nations(A) are silver and gold,
    made by human hands.(B)

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Our God is in the heavens;
    he does whatever he pleases.(A)
Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.(B)
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
    they have eyes, but they do not see.
They have ears, but they do not hear;
    they have noses, but they do not smell.
They have hands, but they do not feel;
    they have feet, but they do not walk;
    they make no sound in their throats.
Those who make them are like them;
    so are all who trust in them.(C)

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Our God is in heaven;(A)
    he does whatever pleases him.(B)
But their idols are silver and gold,(C)
    made by human hands.(D)
They have mouths, but cannot speak,(E)
    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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