“ 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

But the statues of their gods are made out of silver and gold. They are made by human hands.They have mouths but can’t speak. They have eyes but can’t see.They have ears but can’t hear. They have noses but can’t smell.They have hands but can’t feel. They have feet but can’t walk. They have throats but can’t say anything.Those who make statues of gods will be like them. So will all those who trust in them.

“ So who will you compare me with? Who is equal to me?” says the Holy One.

“ Do not make for yourself statues of gods that look like anything in the sky. They may not look like anything on the earth or in the waters either.

How terrible it will be for the Babylonians! They say to a wooden god,‘ Come to life!’ They say to a stone god,‘ Wake up!’ Can those gods give advice? They are covered with gold and silver. They can’t even breathe.”The Lord is in his holy temple. Let the whole earth be silent in front of him.

“ Who will you compare me with? Who is equal to me? What am I like? Who can you compare me with?Some people pour out gold from their bags. They weigh out silver on the scales. They hire someone who works with gold to make it into a god. They bow down to it and worship it.

Who has measured the oceans by using the palm of his hand? Who has used the width of his hand to mark off the sky? Who has measured out the dust of the earth in a basket? Who has weighed the mountains on scales? Who has weighed the hills in a balance?Who can ever understand the Spirit of the Lord? Who can ever give him advice?Did the Lord have to ask anyone to help him understand? Did he have to ask someone to teach him the right way? Who taught him what he knows? Who showed him how to understand?The nations are only a drop in a bucket to him. He considers them as nothing but dust on the scales. He weighs the islands as if they were only fine dust.Lebanon doesn’t have enough trees to keep his altar fires burning. It doesn’t have enough animals to sacrifice as burnt offerings to him.To him, all the nations don’t amount to anything. He considers them to be worthless. In fact, they are less than nothing in his sight.So who will you compare God with? Is there any other god like him?Will you compare him with a statue of a god? Anyone who works with metal can make a statue. Then another worker covers it with gold and makes silver chains for it.But someone who is too poor to bring that kind of offering will choose some wood that won’t rot. Then they look for a skilled worker. They pay the worker to make a statue of a god that won’t fall over.

He took what they gave him and made it into a metal statue of a god. It looked like a calf. Aaron shaped it with a tool. Then the people said,“ Israel, here is your god who brought you up out of Egypt.”

Ever since the world was created it has been possible to see the qualities of God that are not seen. I’m talking about his eternal power and about the fact that he is God. Those things can be seen in what he has made. So people have no excuse for what they do.They knew God. But they didn’t honor him as God. They didn’t thank him. Their thinking became worthless. Their foolish hearts became dark.They claimed to be wise. But they made fools of themselves.They would rather have statues of gods than the glorious God who lives forever. Their statues of gods are made to look like people, birds, animals and reptiles.

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

Others decorate it with silver and gold. They use a hammer to nail it to the floor. They want to keep it from falling down.The statues of their gods can’t speak. They are like scarecrows in a field of cucumbers. Their statues have to be carried around because they can’t walk. So do not be afraid of their gods. They can’t do you any harm. And they can’t do you any good either.”Lord, no one is like you. You are great. You are mighty and powerful.King of the nations, everyone should have respect for you. That’s what people should give you. Among all the wise leaders of the nations there is no one like you. No one can compare with you in all their kingdoms.All of them are foolish. They don’t have any sense. They think they are taught by worthless wooden gods.Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish. Gold is brought from Uphaz. People skilled in working with wood and gold make a statue. Then they put blue and purple clothes on it. The whole thing is made by skilled workers.But you are the only true God. You are the only living God. You are the King who rules forever. When you are angry, the earth trembles with fear. The nations can’t stand up under your anger.

Those who make statues of gods don’t amount to anything. And the statues they think so much of are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind. They don’t know anything. So they will be put to shame.People make statues of gods. But those gods can’t do any good.People who do that will be put to shame. Those who make statues of gods are mere human beings. Let all of them come together and state their case. They will be terrified and put to shame.A blacksmith gets his tool. He uses it to shape metal over the burning coals. He uses his hammers to make a statue of a god. He forms it with his powerful arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He doesn’t drink any water. He gets weaker and weaker.A carpenter measures a piece of wood with a line. He draws a pattern on it with a marker. He cuts out a statue with sharp tools. He marks it with compasses. He shapes it into the form of a beautiful human being. He does this so he can put it in a temple.He cuts down a cedar tree. Or perhaps he takes a cypress or an oak tree. It might be a tree that grew in the forest. Or it might be a pine tree he planted. And the rain made it grow.A man gets wood from trees to burn. He uses some of it to warm himself. He starts a fire and bakes bread. But he also uses some of it to make a god and worship it. He makes a statue of a god and bows down to it.He burns half of the wood in the fire. He prepares a meal over it. He cooks meat over it. He eats until he is full. He also warms himself. He says,“ Good! I’m getting warm. The fire is nice and hot.”From the rest of the wood he makes a statue. It becomes his god. He bows down and worships it. He prays to it. He says,“ Save me! You are my god!”People like that don’t even know what they are doing. Their eyes are shut so that they can’t see the truth. Their minds are closed so that they can’t understand it.No one even stops to think about this. No one has any sense or understanding. If anyone did, they would say,“ I used half of the wood for fuel. I even baked bread over the fire. I cooked meat. Then I ate it. Should I now make a statue of a god out of the wood that’s left over? Should I bow down to a block of wood? The Lord would hate that.”That’s as foolish as eating ashes! The mind of someone like that has led him astray. He can’t save himself. He can’t bring himself to say,“ This thing I’m holding in my right hand isn’t really a god at all.”

They say,“ The Lord doesn’t see what’s happening. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay any attention to it.”You who aren’t wise, pay attention. You foolish people, when will you become wise?Does he who made the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see?