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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23 Instead, you have set yourself up against(A) the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives(B) and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand.(C) But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life(D) and all your ways.(E)

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29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt(A) and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster(B) will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”

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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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21 Nor did they repent(A) of their murders, their magic arts,(B) their sexual immorality(C) or their thefts.

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The Spirit(A) clearly says that in later times(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits(C) and things taught by demons.

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20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,(A) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.(B)

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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.(A) 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools(B) 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images(C) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

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41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.(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.
15 They are worthless,(C) the objects of mockery;
    when their judgment comes, they will perish.

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16 I will pronounce my judgments(A) on my people
    because of their wickedness(B) in forsaking me,(C)
in burning incense to other gods(D)
    and in worshiping(E) what their hands have made.(F)

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21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved(A) over many who have sinned earlier(B) and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery(C) in which they have indulged.

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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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32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,(A) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors(B) and the prostitutes(C) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent(D) and believe him.

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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)

20 The Lord is in his holy temple;(H)
    let all the earth be silent(I) before him.

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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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Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,(A) burning incense(B) to other gods in Egypt,(C) where you have come to live?(D) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse[a] and an object of reproach(E) among all the nations on earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:8 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed; also in verse 12; similarly in verse 22.

Do not follow other gods(A) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”

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19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve(A) me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.(B)
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall(C) to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome(D) you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”(E)
declares the Lord.

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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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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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Sin and Punishment

“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘When people fall down, do they not get up?(A)
    When someone turns away,(B) do they not return?
Why then have these people turned away?
    Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit;(C)
    they refuse to return.(D)
I have listened(E) attentively,
    but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent(F) of their wickedness,
    saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course(G)
    like a horse charging into battle.

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Lord, do not your eyes(A) look for truth?
    You struck(B) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.(C)
They made their faces harder than stone(D)
    and refused to repent.(E)

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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.

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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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