28 (A)There you will serve gods, the work of human hands, (B)wood and stone, (C)which neither see nor hear, nor eat nor smell anything.

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28 There you will worship man-made gods(A) of wood and stone,(B) which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.(C)

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Their (A)idols are silver and gold,
The (B)work of human hands.

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But their idols are silver and gold,(A)
    made by human hands.(B)

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10 Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to (A)no benefit? 11 Behold, all his companions will be (B)put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them be put to shame together.

12 The (C)craftsman of iron shapes a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, [a]fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and [b]his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary. 13 (D)The craftsman of wood extends a measuring line; he outlines it with a marker. He works it with carving knives and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of (E)mankind, so that it may sit in a (F)house. 14 He will cut cedars for himself, and he takes a holm-oak or another oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel tree, and the rain makes it grow. 15 Then it becomes something for a person to burn, so he takes one of them and gets warm; he also makes a fire and bakes bread. He also (G)makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image and (H)bows down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” 17 Yet the rest of it he (I)makes into a god, his carved image. He bows down before it and worships; he also (J)prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”

18 They do not (K)know, nor do they understand, for He has (L)smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. 19 No one [c]remembers, nor is there (M)knowledge or understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then [d]I make the rest of it into an (N)abomination, [e]I bow down before a block of wood!” 20 He [f](O)feeds on ashes; a (P)deceived heart has misled him. And he cannot save [g]himself, nor say, “(Q)Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 44:12 Lit and fashions
  2. Isaiah 44:12 Lit there is no strength
  3. Isaiah 44:19 Lit returns to his heart
  4. Isaiah 44:19 Or shall I make?
  5. Isaiah 44:19 Or shall I bow...?
  6. Isaiah 44:20 Or is a companion of ashes
  7. Isaiah 44:20 Lit his soul

10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol,(A)
    which can profit nothing?(B)
11 People who do that will be put to shame;(C)
    such craftsmen are only human beings.
Let them all come together and take their stand;
    they will be brought down to terror and shame.(D)

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

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For the customs of the peoples are (A)futile;
For (B)it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
They (C)decorate the idol with silver and gold;
They (D)fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not totter.
They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
And they (E)cannot speak;
They must be (F)carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not fear them,
For they (G)can do no harm,
Nor can they do any good.”

(H)There is none like You, Lord;
You are (I)great, and Your name is great in might.
(J)Who would not fear You, O (K)King of the nations?
For it is Your due!
For among all the (L)wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
But they are altogether (M)stupid and foolish;
The instruction from idols is nothing but wood!
Beaten (N)silver is brought from (O)Tarshish,
And (P)gold from Uphaz,
The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith;
Their clothing is of violet and purple;
They are all the (Q)work of skilled people.
10 But the Lord is the (R)true God;
He is the (S)living God and the (T)everlasting King.
The (U)earth quakes at His wrath,
And the nations cannot (V)endure His indignation.

11 [a]This is what you shall say to them: “The (W)gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will (X)perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”

12 It is (Y)He who made the earth by His power,
Who (Z)established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding He has (AA)stretched out the heavens.
13 When He utters His (AB)voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens,
And He makes the (AC)clouds ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the (AD)wind from His storehouses.
14 Every person is (AE)stupid, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
For his cast metal images are deceitful,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are (AF)worthless, a work of mockery;
At the (AG)time of their punishment they will perish.
16 The (AH)Portion of Jacob is not like these;
For He is the [b](AI)Maker of everything,
And (AJ)Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
The (AK)Lord of armies is His name.

17 (AL)Pick up your bundle from the ground,
You who live under siege!
18 For this is what the Lord says:
“Behold, I am (AM)slinging out the inhabitants of the land
At this time,
And I will cause them distress,
So that they may [c]be found.”

19 (AN)Woe to me, because of my [d]injury!
My (AO)wound is incurable.
But I said, “This certainly is a sickness,
And I (AP)must endure it.”
20 My (AQ)tent is destroyed,
And all my ropes are broken.
My (AR)sons have gone from me and are no more.
There is (AS)no one to stretch out my tent again
Or to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become stupid
And (AT)have not sought the Lord.
Therefore they have not prospered,
And (AU)all their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a (AV)report! Behold, it is coming—
A great roar (AW)from the land of the north—
To (AX)make the cities of Judah
A desolation, a haunt of jackals.

23 I know, Lord, that (AY)a person’s way is not in himself,
(AZ)Nor is it in a person who walks to direct his steps.
24 (BA)Correct me, Lord, but with justice;
Not with Your anger, or You will [e]bring me to nothing.
25 (BB)Pour out Your wrath on the nations that (BC)do not know You,
And on the families who (BD)do not call upon Your name;
For they have devoured Jacob;
They have (BE)devoured him and consumed him,
And have laid waste his [f]settlement.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 10:11 This verse is in Aram
  2. Jeremiah 10:16 Lit Fashioner
  3. Jeremiah 10:18 Lit find
  4. Jeremiah 10:19 Lit breaking
  5. Jeremiah 10:24 Lit diminish me
  6. Jeremiah 10:25 Or pasture

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)

No one is like you,(I) Lord;
    you are great,(J)
    and your name is mighty in power.
Who should not fear(K) you,
    King of the nations?(L)
    This is your due.
Among all the wise leaders of the nations
    and in all their kingdoms,
    there is no one like you.

They are all senseless(M) and foolish;(N)
    they are taught by worthless wooden idols.(O)
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish(P)
    and gold from Uphaz.
What the craftsman and goldsmith have made(Q)
    is then dressed in blue and purple—
    all made by skilled workers.
10 But the Lord is the true God;
    he is the living God,(R) the eternal King.(S)
When he is angry,(T) the earth trembles;(U)
    the nations cannot endure his wrath.(V)

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

12 But God made(X) the earth(Y) by his power;
    he founded the world by his wisdom(Z)
    and stretched out the heavens(AA) by his understanding.
13 When he thunders,(AB) the waters in the heavens roar;
    he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning(AC) with the rain(AD)
    and brings out the wind from his storehouses.(AE)

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

Coming Destruction

17 Gather up your belongings(AM) to leave the land,
    you who live under siege.
18 For this is what the Lord says:
    “At this time I will hurl(AN) out
    those who live in this land;
I will bring distress(AO) on them
    so that they may be captured.”

19 Woe to me because of my injury!
    My wound(AP) is incurable!
Yet I said to myself,
    “This is my sickness, and I must endure(AQ) it.”
20 My tent(AR) is destroyed;
    all its ropes are snapped.
My children are gone from me and are no more;(AS)
    no one is left now to pitch my tent
    or to set up my shelter.
21 The shepherds(AT) are senseless(AU)
    and do not inquire of the Lord;(AV)
so they do not prosper(AW)
    and all their flock is scattered.(AX)
22 Listen! The report is coming—
    a great commotion from the land of the north!(AY)
It will make the towns of Judah desolate,(AZ)
    a haunt of jackals.(BA)

Jeremiah’s Prayer

23 Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;
    it is not for them to direct their steps.(BB)
24 Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—
    not in your anger,(BC)
    or you will reduce me to nothing.(BD)
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations(BE)
    that do not acknowledge you,
    on the peoples who do not call on your name.(BF)
For they have devoured(BG) Jacob;
    they have devoured him completely
    and destroyed his homeland.(BH)

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Footnotes

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

29 Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we (A)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought.

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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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Therefore, concerning the eating of (A)food sacrificed to idols, we know that an (B)idol is [a]nothing at all in the world, and that (C)there is no God but one.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 8:4 I.e., what it represents does not exist

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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19 What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or (A)that an idol is [a]anything?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:19 I.e., anything real

19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?(A)

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20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, (A)did not repent of (B)the works of their hands so as not to (C)worship demons and (D)the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

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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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