1 Corinthians 12:2
King James Version
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles,
carried away unto these dumb idols,
even as ye were led.
What does "dumb idols" mean?
What was the King James Version referring to?
How do other Bible versions translate the word "dumb idols"?
1 Corinthians 12:2
Amplified Bible
2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit].
1 Corinthians 12:2
Christian Standard Bible
2 You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Common English Bible
2 You know that when you were Gentiles you were often misled by false gods that can’t even speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Complete Jewish Bible
2 You know that when you were pagans, no matter how you felt you were being led, you were being led astray to idols, which can’t speak at all.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Contemporary English Version
2 I want you to remember that before you became followers of the Lord, you were led in all the wrong ways by idols that cannot even talk.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Easy-to-Read Version
2 You remember the lives you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that have no life.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Expanded Bible
2 You know the way you lived ·before you were believers [L when you were pagans/Gentiles]. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that could not speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
GOD’S WORD Translation
2 You know that when you were unbelievers, every time you were led to worship false gods you were worshiping gods who couldn’t even speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Good News Translation
2 You know that while you were still heathen, you were led astray in many ways to the worship of lifeless idols.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
2 You know that when you were pagans, you used to be led off to the idols that could not speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
International Children’s Bible
2 You remember the lives you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that have no life.
1 Corinthians 12:2
International Standard Version
2 You know that when you were unbelievers,[a] you were enticed and led astray to worship[b] idols that couldn’t even speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Living Bible
2 You will remember that before you became Christians you went around from one idol to another, not one of which could speak a single word.
1 Corinthians 12:2
The Message
Spiritual Gifts
Remember how you were when you didn’t know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it?
1 Corinthians 12:2
Names of God Bible
2 You know that when you were unbelievers, every time you were led to worship false gods you were worshiping gods who couldn’t even speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
New International Reader's Version
2 You know that at one time you were unbelievers. You were somehow drawn away to worship statues of gods that couldn’t even speak.
1 Corinthians 12:2
New Life Version
2 You know that before you were Christians you were led to worship false gods. None of these gods could speak.
Kehillah in Corinth I 12:2
Orthodox Jewish Bible
2 You have da’as that when you WERE Goyim [T.N. i.e., you are no longer heathen pagans], somehow you were influenced and led astray to the ELILIM ILLEMIM ("Dumb idols, idols incapable of speech" CHABAKUK 2:18-19).
1 Corinthians 12:2
Tree of Life Version
2 You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed by idols that cannot speak, and you got led astray.
1 Corinthians 12:2
The Voice
2 Remember the way you used to live when you were pagans apart from God? You were engrossed—enchanted with voiceless idols, led astray by mere images carved by human hands.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Worldwide English (New Testament)
2 You know that before you believed in God, you were led by other men to believe in idols that could not talk.
1 Corinthians 12:2
Wycliffe Bible
2 For ye know, that when ye were heathen men, how ye were led going to dumb maumets. [Soothly ye know, for when ye were heathen men, as ye were led going to dumb simulacra.]
In SUMMARY, "dumb idols" mean:
speechless idols
mute idols
false gods that can’t even speak
idols, which can’t speak at all
idols that cannot even talk
idols—things that have no life
idols—things that could not speak
gods who couldn’t even speak
lifeless idols
idols that could not speak
idols—things that have no life
idols that couldn’t even speak
from one idol to another, not one of which could speak a single word
one phony god to another
false gods who couldn’t even speak
statues of gods that couldn’t even speak
false gods. None of these gods could speak
ELILIM ILLEMIM ("Dumb idols, idols incapable of speech"
idols that cannot speak
voiceless idols
mere images carved by human hands
idols that could not talk
dumb maumets
dumb simulacra
Why are statues "dumb idols"?
Habakkuk 2:18-19
King James Version
18 What profiteth the graven image
that the maker thereof hath graven it;
the molten image,
and a teacher of lies,
that the maker of his work trusteth therein,
to make dumb idols?
19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood,
Awake;
to the dumb stone,
Arise, it shall teach!
Behold,
it is laid over with gold and silver,
and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
Worshiping "dumb idols", gods who cannot speak, as in statues of deities or gods, and goddesses, is a TOTAL affront on the GOD who can speak.
You can talk to GOD ANY TIME.
And He will answer your prayers, or questions.
He always spoke through His prophets.
He spoke through His Son, JESUS.
He spoke through His SPIRIT.
Why does GOD hate idols?
Why does He hate idolatry?
Why is that His FIRST commandment?
Exodus 20:1-6
King James Version
20 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God,
which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto 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 water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:
for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them
that love me,
and keep my commandments.
GOD gave man the BREATH of LIFE.
Genesis 2:7
King James Version
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;
and man became a living soul.
GOD is a LIVING GOD.
Jeremiah 10:10
King James Version
10 But the Lord is the true God,
he is the living God,
and an everlasting king:
at his wrath the earth shall tremble,
and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
JESUS is the SON of the LIVING GOD.
Matthew 16:15-17
King James Version
15 He saith unto them,
But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven.
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