The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!

外邦的神都属虚无；惟独耶和华创造诸天。

因万民的神明都属虚无；惟独耶和华创造诸天。

因万民的神明都属虚无；惟独耶和华创造诸天。

列邦的神明都是假的，唯独耶和华创造了诸天。

因为万民的神都是虚空的偶像，但耶和华创造了诸天。

万民的一切神明都是无用的偶像，但耶和华造了诸天。

外邦的神都屬虛無；惟獨耶和華創造諸天。

因萬民的神明都屬虛無；惟獨耶和華創造諸天。

因萬民的神明都屬虛無；惟獨耶和華創造諸天。

列邦的神明都是假的，唯獨耶和華創造了諸天。

因為萬民的神都是虛空的偶像，但耶和華創造了諸天。

別族之民的神都是虛無之物；惟獨永恆主造了諸天。

萬民的一切神明都是無用的偶像，但耶和華造了諸天。

列邦之神、盡屬虛無、惟耶和華創造諸天兮、

異邦上帝、盡屬虛無、勿崇敬兮、

異邦所敬諸神、悉屬虛無、創造穹蒼者惟主、

列邦所供像。無生焉得靈。惟主是眞宰。親手設諸天

For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

All the gods of the nations are like their statues. They can’t do anything. But the Lord made the heavens.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols; But Jehovah made the heavens.

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

For all the gods of the nations[ are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

For all the gods of the nations are worthless, but the LORD made the sky.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens.

May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is he who says,

Say this to those who worship other gods:“ Your so called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth and from under the heavens.”But the Lord made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.

Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.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.”

And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!

Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight.Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together.

Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses— is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock— not one!”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?”“ Pay attention, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you.I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done this wondrous thing. Shout for joy, O depths of the earth! Break into song, O mountains and forests and every tree! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and is glorified in Israel.This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer and Creator:“ I am the Lord, who made all things. I alone stretched out the heavens. Who was with me when I made the earth?I expose the false prophets as liars and make fools of fortune tellers. I cause the wise to give bad advice, thus proving them to be fools.But I carry out the predictions of my prophets! By them I say to Jerusalem,‘ People will live here again,’ and to the towns of Judah,‘ You will be rebuilt; I will restore all your ruins!’When I speak to the rivers and say,‘ Dry up!’ they will be dry.When I say of Cyrus,‘ He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command,‘ Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say,‘ Restore the Temple.’”

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge! The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make, for their carefully shaped works are a fraud. These idols have no breath or power.Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies! On the day of reckoning they will all be destroyed.

So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.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.