10
who will punish both the things made and the people who made them.
11
And so God's judgment will fall on pagan idols, because, even though they are made from something God created, they became horrible things that trap the souls of foolish people.
12
Sexual immorality began when idols were invented. They have corrupted human life ever since they were first made.
13
Idols have not always existed, nor will they exist forever.
14
It was human pride that brought them into the world, and that is why a quick end has been planned for them.
15
Once there was a father who was overwhelmed with grief at the untimely death of his child, so he made an image of that child who had been suddenly taken from him. He then honored a dead human being as a god, and handed on secret rituals and ceremonies to those who were under his authority.
16
As time went on, this ungodly custom became stronger. Finally it became law, and idols were being worshiped at the command of powerful rulers.
17
When people lived too far away to honor a ruler in his presence but were eager to pay honor to this absent king, they would imagine what he must look like, and would then make a likeness of him.
18
The ambitious artists who made these likenesses caused this worship to spread, even among people who did not know the king.
19
An artist might want to please some ruler, and so he would use his skill to make the likeness better looking than the actual person.
20
Then people would be so attracted by the work of art, that the one whom they had earlier honored now became the object of their worship.