And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

我们既是神所生的，就不当以为神的神性像人用手艺、心思所雕刻的金、银、石。

既然我们是上帝所生的，就不应该以为上帝的神性像人用手艺和心思所雕刻的金、银、石像一般。

既然我们是神所生的，就不应该以为神的神性像人用手艺和心思所雕刻的金、银、石像一般。

我们既然是上帝的子孙，就不该认为上帝是人凭手艺和想象用金、银、石头所雕刻的样子。

我们既然是神的子孙，就不应该以为他的神性是好像人用手艺、心思所雕刻的金银石头一样。

所以我们既然是神的后裔，就不应该认为神性是仿佛用人的手艺和心思所雕刻的金、银、石像。

我們既是神所生的，就不當以為神的神性像人用手藝、心思所雕刻的金、銀、石。

既然我們是上帝所生的，就不應該以為上帝的神性像人用手藝和心思所雕刻的金、銀、石像一般。

既然我們是神所生的，就不應該以為神的神性像人用手藝和心思所雕刻的金、銀、石像一般。

我們既然是上帝的子孫，就不該認為上帝是人憑手藝和想象用金、銀、石頭所雕刻的樣子。

我們既然是神的子孫，就不應該以為他的神性是好像人用手藝、心思所雕刻的金銀石頭一樣。

那麼我們既是上帝的族類，就不該以神性為彷彿金銀或石頭、人的手藝和心思所雕刻的。

所以我們既然是神的後裔，就不應該認為神性是彷彿用人的手藝和心思所雕刻的金、銀、石像。

既為上帝裔、則不當意其性質如金銀石、為人工機巧雕琢者、

既為上帝亦子、則上帝之體、不可以若金、若銀、若石、人工機巧琢之、

既為天主所生、則不當思天主之體、似金似銀似石、為人工機巧所製、

夫吾人既為天主之裔、則不當妄度天主之神性、有類乎人工技巧所琢之金銀玉石。

“ 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.

“ Yes, we are God’s children. So we shouldn’t think that God is made out of gold or silver or stone. He isn’t a statue planned and made by clever people.

Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.

Since, then, we are God’s offspring, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.

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

Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.

Being God’s offspring then, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by human skill and imagination.

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound.And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

“ To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

“ You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.

What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols,‘ Wake up and save us!’ To speechless stone images you say,‘ Rise up and teach us!’ Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside.But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him.”

“ To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it!

Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice?No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth.To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down!

Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed,“ O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities— his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass eating bull.

They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over.Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power.Who would not fear you, O King of nations? That title belongs to you alone! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like you.People who worship idols are stupid and foolish. The things they worship are made of wood!They bring beaten sheets of silver from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, and they give these materials to skillful craftsmen who make their idols. Then they dress these gods in royal blue and purple robes made by expert tailors.But the Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King! The whole earth trembles at his anger. The nations cannot stand up to his wrath.

How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don’t know this, so they are all put to shame.Who but a fool would make his own god— an idol that cannot help him one bit?All who worship idols will be disgraced along with all these craftsmen— mere humans— who claim they can make a god. They may all stand together, but they will stand in terror and shame.The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint.Then the wood carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine.He cuts down cedars; he selects the cypress and the oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain.Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then— yes, it’s true— he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it!He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says,“ Ah, that fire feels good.”Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it.“ Rescue me!” he says.“ You are my god!”Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.The person who made the idol never stops to reflect,“ Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask,“ Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”

“ The Lord isn’t looking,” they say,“ and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on?Is he deaf— the one who made your ears? Is he blind— the one who formed your eyes?