For the customsof the peoplesare delusion;Becauseit is woodcutfrom the forest,The workof the handsof a craftsmanwith a cuttingtool.
Their idolsare silverand gold,The workof man'shands.
"Gatheryourselves and come;Drawneartogether,you fugitivesof the nations;They havenoknowledge,Who carryabout their woodenidolAnd prayto a godwho cannotsave.
"I will pronounceMy judgmentson them concerningalltheir wickedness,wherebythey have forsakenMe and have offeredsacrificesto othergods,and worshipedthe worksof their own hands.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
Are thereanyamong the idolsof the nationswho giverain?Orcan the heavensgrantshowers?Is it not You, O LORDour God?Therefore we hopein You, For You are the one who has doneallthesethings.
O LORD,my strengthand my stronghold,And my refugein the dayof distress,To You the nationswill comeFrom the endsof the earthand say,"Our fathershave inheritednothingbut falsehood,Futilityand thingsof noprofit."
Thussaysthe LORD,"Whatinjusticedid your fathersfindin Me, That they wentfarfrom Me And walkedafteremptinessand becameempty?
Thus you are to keepMy charge,that you do not practiceanyof the abominablecustomswhichhave been practicedbeforeyou, so as not to defileyourselves with them; I am the LORDyour God.'"
"And when you are praying,do not use meaningless repetitionas the Gentilesdo, for they supposethat they will be heardfor their many words.
"You seeand hearthat not onlyin Ephesus,but in almostallof Asia,thisPaulhas persuadedand turned awaya considerablenumber of people,sayingthat gods madewith handsare nogods[at all].
For even though they knewGod,they did not honorHim as Godorgive thanks,but they became futilein their speculations,and their foolishheartwas darkened.
knowingthat you were not redeemedwith perishable thingslike silverorgoldfrom your futileway of lifeinherited from your forefathers,
