Letter of Jeremiah 6:23-42
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23 By this ye may know that they are no gods: therefore fear them not.
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24 Notwithstanding the gold that is about them to make them beautiful, except they wipe off the rust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten did they feel it.
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25 The things wherein there is no breath are bought for a most high price.
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26 They are borne upon shoulders, having no feet whereby they declare unto men that they be nothing worth.
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27 They also that serve them are ashamed: for if they fall to the ground at any time, they cannot rise up again of themselves: neither, if one set them upright, can they move of themselves: neither, if they be bowed down, can they make themselves straight: but they set gifts before them as unto dead men.
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28 As for the things that are sacrificed unto them, their priests sell and abuse; in like manner their wives lay up part thereof in salt; but unto the poor and impotent they give nothing of it.
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29 Menstruous women and women in childbed eat their sacrifices: by these things ye may know that they are no gods: fear them not.
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30 For how can they be called gods? because women set meat before the gods of silver, gold, and wood.
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31 And the priests sit in their temples, having their clothes rent, and their heads and beards shaven, and nothing upon their heads.
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32 They roar and cry before their gods, as men do at the feast when one is dead.
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33 The priests also take off their garments, and clothe their wives and children.
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34 Whether it be evil that one doeth unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they can neither set up a king, nor put him down.
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35 In like manner, they can neither give riches nor money: though a man make a vow unto them, and keep it not, they will not require it.
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36 They can save no man from death, neither deliver the weak from the mighty.
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37 They cannot restore a blind man to his sight, nor help any man in his distress.
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38 They can shew no mercy to the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.
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39 Their gods of wood, and which are overlaid with gold and silver, are like the stones that be hewn out of the mountain: they that worship them shall be confounded.
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40 How should a man then think and say that they are gods, when even the Chaldeans themselves dishonour them?
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41 Who if they shall see one dumb that cannot speak, they bring him, and intreat Bel that he may speak, as though he were able to understand.
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42 Yet they cannot understand this themselves, and leave them: for they have no knowledge.