Idols sound like golden calves and wooden figures. But the Bible understands by this everything that takes the place of God – money, success, recognition, security. Here you will find 18 Bible verses about idols, then and now.
You shall have no other gods
The first commandment and its interpretation.
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You shall have no other gods beside me. You shall make no image nor any likeness, neither of that which is above in heaven, nor of that which is below on earth, nor of that which is in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them nor serve them.
Exodus 20:3-5a
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But you shall fear the LORD, your God, and serve him, and swear by his name. And you shall not follow after other gods of the peoples who are around you.
Deuteronomy 6:13-14
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And he took them from their hands and fashioned them with a chisel, and made a molten calf. And they said: These are your gods, Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!
Exodus 32:4
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But those idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, and do not speak; they have eyes, and do not see; they have ears, and do not hear; they have noses, and do not smell; they have hands, and do not grasp; feet they have, and do not walk; they do not speak through their throats. Those who make them are like them, and all who hope in them.
Psalm 115:4-8
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The idol makers are all vain, and their delicacies are of no use. They are their own witnesses and see nothing; therefore they must be brought to shame. Who are they, that make a god and cast an idol, which is of no use?
Isaiah 44:9-10
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But the rest he makes into a god, that it may be an idol, before which he kneels and falls down and prays and says: Save me; for you are my God!
Isaiah 44:17
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For my people commit a double sin: me, the living fountain, they leave, and make themselves here and there broken cisterns, which are yet leaky and give no water.
Jeremiah 2:13Water
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I, the LORD, that is my name; and will give my honor to no one else, nor my glory to idols.
Isaiah 42:8
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Then Elijah came to all the people and said: How long will you waver on both sides? If the LORD is God, then follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him nothing.
1 Kings 18:21Decisions
Modern idols
What can take the place of God today.
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No one can serve two masters: either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will cling to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24MoneyMaterialism
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So now kill your members, which are on earth, fornication, uncleanness, shameful passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
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For you should know that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous person, which is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesians 5:5
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What end is condemnation, which is the belly that is your god, and whose honor is brought to shame, which are earthly minded.
Philippians 3:19
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Little ones, beware of idols! Amen.
1 John 5:21
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Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry!
1 Corinthians 10:14
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For they themselves declare of you what an entrance we had to you, and how you have turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.
1 Thessalonians 1:9
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They, who have the truth of God, have turned it into a lie, and have honored and served the creature more than the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen.
Romans 1:25
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But Jesus said to him: “You shall love God, your LORD, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37Mind
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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What is an idol?
The first commandment says: “You shall have no other gods beside me” (Exodus 20:3). Shortly after Israel hears it at Sinai, it casts a golden calf and dances around it (Exodus 32). The prophets mock idols that have eyes and do not see, ears and do not hear (Psalm 115:5-6). Jeremiah describes the problem with a powerful image: God's people leave “the living fountain” and make themselves cisterns, “which are yet leaky” (Jeremiah 2:13). An idol is something from which one hopes for what only God can give – and that ultimately disappoints.
Idols today
Martin Luther explained the first commandment thus: “What you now hang your heart on and leave, that is actually your god.” Today, there are no idol statues in most living rooms. But money, success, career, appearance, relationships, or security can take the same place. Jesus calls one of these idols by name: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Paul even counts covetousness as idolatry (Colossians 3:5). More about this at Bible verses about money, Bible verses about materialism, and Bible verses about worship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does idolatry mean today?
Idolatry means giving first place in life to something other than God, such as money, success, or recognition (Matthew 6:24; Colossians 3:5).
What is the golden calf?
While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the people of Israel had a golden calf cast and worshipped it as God (Exodus 32). It is considered the archetype of idolatry.
