²⁰ But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,^(A) is to be put to death.”^(B)

Worshiping Other Gods

13 ^[a]If a prophet,^(A) or one who foretells by dreams,^(B) appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, ² and if the sign^(C) or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods”^(D) (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet^(E) or dreamer.^(F) The Lord your God is testing^(G) you to find out whether you love^(H) him with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ It is the Lord your God you must follow,^(I) and him you must revere.^(J) Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast^(K) to him. ⁵ That prophet or dreamer must be put to death^(L) for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn^(M) you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil^(N) from among you.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(A) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^(B)

³ And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies^(A) in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.^(B)

⁶ Their visions are false^(A) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent^(B) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.^(C)

¹⁵ Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent^(A) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.^{(B) 16} Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.^(C) This very year you are going to die,^(D) because you have preached rebellion^(E) against the Lord.’”

¹⁷ In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.^(F)

¹⁵ ‘I have not sent^(A) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.^(B) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,^(C) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”

³¹ Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’^(A)

¹⁵ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets: