1 Samuel 12:21

You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.

Habakkuk 2:18

“What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it,
Or an image, a teacher of falsehood?
For its maker trusts in his own handiwork
When he fashions speechless idols.

Jeremiah 10:15

They are worthless, a work of mockery;
In the time of their punishment they will perish.

Jeremiah 16:19

O Lord, my strength and my stronghold,
And my refuge in the day of distress,
To You the nations will come
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood,
Futility and things of no profit.”

1 Corinthians 8:4

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.

Deuteronomy 11:16

Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them.

Deuteronomy 32:21

They have made Me jealous with what is not God;
They have provoked Me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,

Psalm 115:4-8

Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.

Isaiah 41:23-24

Declare the things that are going to come afterward,
That we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.

Isaiah 41:29

“Behold, all of them are false;
Their works are worthless,
Their molten images are wind and emptiness.

Isaiah 44:9-10

Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.

Isaiah 45:20

Gather yourselves and come;
Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations;
They have no knowledge,
Who carry about their wooden idol
And pray to a god who cannot save.

Isaiah 46:7

“They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it;
They set it in its place and it stands there.
It does not move from its place.
Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer;
It cannot deliver him from his distress.

Jeremiah 2:5

Thus says the Lord,
What injustice did your fathers find in Me,
That they went far from Me
And walked after emptiness and became empty?

Jeremiah 2:13

“For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.

Jeremiah 10:8

But they are altogether stupid and foolish
In their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood!

Jeremiah 14:22

Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain?
Or can the heavens grant showers?
Is it not You, O Lord our God?
Therefore we hope in You,
For You are the one who has done all these things.

Jonah 2:8

“Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

General references

Bible References

Vain things

Deuteronomy 32:21
They have made Me jealous with what is not God;
They have provoked Me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,
Jeremiah 2:5
Thus says the Lord,
What injustice did your fathers find in Me,
That they went far from Me
And walked after emptiness and became empty?
Jeremiah 10:8
But they are altogether stupid and foolish
In their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood!
Jeremiah 14:22
Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain?
Or can the heavens grant showers?
Is it not You, O Lord our God?
Therefore we hope in You,
For You are the one who has done all these things.
Jeremiah 16:19
O Lord, my strength and my stronghold,
And my refuge in the day of distress,
To You the nations will come
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood,
Futility and things of no profit.”
Jonah 2:8
“Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
Habakkuk 2:18
“What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it,
Or an image, a teacher of falsehood?
For its maker trusts in his own handiwork
When he fashions speechless idols.
1 Corinthians 8:4
Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.

Cannot profit

Psalm 115:4
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.
Isaiah 41:23
Declare the things that are going to come afterward,
That we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together.
Isaiah 44:9
Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.
Isaiah 45:20
Gather yourselves and come;
Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations;
They have no knowledge,
Who carry about their wooden idol
And pray to a god who cannot save.
Isaiah 46:7
“They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it;
They set it in its place and it stands there.
It does not move from its place.
Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer;
It cannot deliver him from his distress.
Jeremiah 10:15
They are worthless, a work of mockery;
In the time of their punishment they will perish.

General references

Jonah 2:8
“Those who regard vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,