And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Parallel translations
- WEB and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.
- BSB and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
- NKJV and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
- NASB and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures.
- NLT And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal creatures. Idolatry is trading the Creator's glory for created substitutes.
Overview
Paul describes idolatry as a tragic exchange: the incorruptible glory of God swapped for images resembling perishable humans, birds, animals, and reptiles. The language echoes Israel's golden-calf sin and Psalm 106:20. Idolatry inverts the created order, giving to creatures the worship due to the Creator alone, and degrades those who practice it.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Ps 106:20Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.
- Jer 2:11Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
- Acts 17:29Forasmuch 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.
- 1 Pet 4:3For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
- Rom 1:25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
- Ps 115:5–8They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
- Deut 5:8Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
- Ezek 8:10So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
- Ps 135:15–18The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
- Deut 4:15–18Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
- Isa 40:18To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
- Isa 44:13The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
- Isa 40:26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
- 1 Cor 12:2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
- Rev 9:20And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
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Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
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Original language
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