Wisdom 14:15-17

Good News Translation

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.