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.

因为，他们虽然知道神，却不当作神荣耀他，也不感谢他。他们的思念变为虚妄，无知的心就昏暗了。

因为，他们虽然知道上帝，却不把他当作上帝荣耀他，也不感谢他。他们的思想变为虚妄，无知的心昏暗了。

因为，他们虽然知道神，却不把他当作神荣耀他，也不感谢他。他们的思想变为虚妄，无知的心昏暗了。

他们虽然明知有上帝，却不把祂当作上帝，既不将荣耀归给祂，也不感谢祂。他们的思想因此变得荒谬无用，无知的心也变得昏暗不明。

因为他们虽然知道神，却不尊他为神，也不感谢他，反而心思变为虚妄，愚顽的心就迷糊了。

所以人是已经知道神的，但是却不把他当做神来荣耀他，也不感谢他；相反，他们在思想上变得虚妄，他们无知的心就昏暗了。

因為，他們雖然知道神，卻不當作神榮耀他，也不感謝他。他們的思念變為虛妄，無知的心就昏暗了。

因為，他們雖然知道上帝，卻不把他當作上帝榮耀他，也不感謝他。他們的思想變為虛妄，無知的心昏暗了。

因為，他們雖然知道神，卻不把他當作神榮耀他，也不感謝他。他們的思想變為虛妄，無知的心昏暗了。

他們雖然明知有上帝，卻不把祂當作上帝，既不將榮耀歸給祂，也不感謝祂。他們的思想因此變得荒謬無用，無知的心也變得昏暗不明。

因為他們雖然知道神，卻不尊他為神，也不感謝他，反而心思變為虛妄，愚頑的心就迷糊了。

因為他們雖然認識上帝，卻不看他為上帝而榮耀他，也不感謝他，反倒在思想上成為虛妄，他們蒙昧的心就昏暗了。

所以人是已經知道神的，但是卻不把他當做神來榮耀他，也不感謝他；相反，他們在思想上變得虛妄，他們無知的心就昏暗了。

顧彼既知上帝、而不以上帝榮之、亦不謝之、乃思議虛妄、心蠢而昧、

顧彼既知上帝、猶不以上帝尊之謝之、乃志意虛妄、心頑蒙昧、

彼雖知天主、不以天主尊之、亦不謝之、乃思念虛妄、心以頑而愈昧、

夫既知有天主矣乃又不以天主事之、而頌詠稱謝焉；復因鑿空蹈虛、流連忘返、以致其冥頑之心、淪於重昏。

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.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

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.

For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.

For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified[ him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened.

Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.

Here is what I’m telling you. I am speaking for the Lord as I warn you. You must no longer live as the Gentiles do. Their thoughts don’t have any purpose.They can’t understand the truth. They are separated from the life of God. That’s because they don’t know him. And they don’t know him because their hearts are stubborn.

The Lord says,“ What did your people of long ago find wrong with me? Why did they wander so far away from me? They worshiped worthless statues of gods. Then they themselves became worthless.

They refused to obey his rules. They broke the covenant he had made with them. They didn’t pay any attention to the rules he had warned them to keep. They worshiped worthless statues of gods. Then they themselves became worthless. They followed the example of the nations around them. They did it even though the Lord had ordered them not to. He had said,“ Do not do as they do.”

People who sacrifice thank offerings to me honor me. To those who are without blame I will show my power to save.”

In a loud voice he said,“ Have respect for God. Give him glory. The hour has come for God to judge. Worship him who made the heavens and the earth. Worship him who made the sea and the springs of water.”

But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are God’s special treasure. You are all these things so that you can give him praise. God brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Lord, who will not have respect for you? Who will not bring glory to your name? You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you. They see that the things you do are right.”

So I let them go their own stubborn way. I let them follow their own sinful plans.

You were set free from an empty way of life. This way of life was handed down to you by your own people of long ago. You know that you were not bought with things that can pass away, like silver or gold.

People will love themselves. They will love money. They will brag and be proud. They will tear others down. They will not obey their parents. They won’t be thankful or holy.

The truth about God is plain to them. God has made it plain.

Here is the judgment. Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light. They loved darkness because what they did was evil.

The Lord saw how bad the sins of everyone on earth had become. They only thought about evil things.

Lord, you give me strength. You are like a fort to me. When I’m in trouble, I go to you for safety. The nations will come to you from one end of the earth to the other. They will gather together and say,“ Our people of long ago didn’t own anything except statues of gods. The statues were worthless. They didn’t do them any good.

No one has any sense or knows anything at all. Everyone who works with gold is put to shame by his gods. The metal gods he has made are fakes. They can’t even breathe.They are worthless things that people make fun of. When the Lord judges them, they will be destroyed.

Even at noon you will have to feel your way around like a blind person in the dark. You won’t have success in anything you do. Day after day you will be robbed and treated badly. No one will be able to save you.

She wouldn’t admit that I was the one who gave her everything she had. I provided her with grain, olive oil and fresh wine. I gave her plenty of silver and gold. But she used it to make statues of Baal.

Lord, all the nations you have made will come and worship you. They will bring glory to you.

Here’s the only other thing I found. God created human beings as honest. But they’ve made many evil plans.”

The smell of the offerings pleased the Lord. He said to himself,“ I will never put a curse on the ground again because of human beings. I will not do it even though their hearts are always directed toward evil. Their thoughts are evil from the time they are young. I will never destroy all living things again, as I have just done.

They didn’t think it was important to know God. So God let them continue to have evil thoughts. They did things they shouldn’t do.

Let their eyes grow dark so they can’t see. Let their backs be bent forever.”( Psalm 69:22, 23)

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.”

The evil Babylonians pull all of them up with hooks. They catch them in their nets. They gather them up. So they celebrate. They are glad.They offer sacrifices to their nets. They burn incense to them. Their nets allow them to live in great comfort. They enjoy the finest food.

Jesus became a servant of the Jews. He did this so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercy. It is written,“ I will praise you among the Gentiles. I will sing the praises of your name.”( 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49)

Darkness covers the earth. Thick darkness spreads over the nations. But I will rise and shine on you. My glory will appear over you.

The practices of these nations are worthless. People cut a tree out of the forest. A skilled worker shapes the wood with a sharp tool.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.

to open their eyes. I want you to turn them from darkness to light. I want you to turn them from Satan’s power to God. I want their sins to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God’s people.’

When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back. He praised God in a loud voice.He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan.Jesus asked,“ Weren’t all ten healed? Where are the other nine?Didn’t anyone else return and give praise to God except this outsider?”