1:23a

exchanged the glory of the immortal God: The word exchanged refers to replacing something with something else. Here it indicates that people stopped honoring God and instead honored idols shaped like a man, bird, animal, or creeping thing. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

changed from honoring the glorious/great and immortal God
-or-
They traded the glory of God who lives forever (New Century Version)
-or-
they abandoned…God who has far-from-ordinary glory/praiseworthiness and who is alive without ending

glory: The word glory refers literally to a very bright light. In this context it implies power, majesty, and greatness. Here are other ways to translate this word:

majesty
-or-
greatness

immortal: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as immortal means “not able to become bad or ruined or dead.” God lives forever and he will not become sick or die. Here are other ways to translate this word:

incorruptible (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
eternal (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
imperishable
-or-
not able to be ruined/destroyed

1:23b

images: This word refers to an object that someone makes to look like something else. Here it refers to idols that represent the false gods that people worship. For example:

idols (New Living Translation (2004))

of: Here this word refers to looking like something or someone else. These idols looked like a person, a bird, an animal, or a creeping thing. For example:

look like (New International Version)
-or-
resembling (English Standard Version)

mortal: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mortal means “able to become bad or ruined or dead.” Here are other ways to translate this Greek word:

corruptible
-or-
perishable
-or-
able to be ruined/destroyed

man: Here the word man refers generally to people.

1:23c

birds: This word refers to creatures that have wings and (usually) fly. It does not refer to insects. Some languages do not have a general word for birds. If that is true in your language, you should:

• Describe them. For example:

things/creatures that fly
-or-
flying creatures/things

• Use a specific bird that can represent birds in general.

• Use a specific large or strong kind of bird, such as eagles or vultures.

animals: The Greek word is “four-footed creatures.” These are animals that have four legs and walk on the ground, but are not reptiles. Examples are horses, bears, pigs, elephants, and dogs.

reptiles: The Greek word refers to any animal that moves with its stomach close to the ground or on it. It includes snakes, lizards, salamanders, and frogs. Here are other ways to translate this word:

crawling things (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
things that crawl on their belly

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