Deuteronomy 18:20-22
English Standard Version
20 (A)But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or[a] who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 (B)when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; (C)the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
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- Deuteronomy 18:20 Or and
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
New English Translation
20 “But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized[a] him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. 21 Now if you say to yourselves,[b] ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’[c]— 22 whenever a prophet speaks in my[d] name and the prediction[e] is not fulfilled,[f] then I have[g] not spoken it;[h] the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”
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- Deuteronomy 18:20 tn Or “commanded” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
- Deuteronomy 18:21 tn Heb “in your heart.”
- Deuteronomy 18:21 tn Heb “know the word which the Lord has not spoken.” The issue here is not understanding the meaning of the message, but distinguishing a genuine prophetic word from a false one.
- Deuteronomy 18:22 tn Heb “the Lord’s.” See note on the word “his” in v. 5.
- Deuteronomy 18:22 tn Heb “the word,” but a predictive word is in view here. Cf. NAB “his oracle.”
- Deuteronomy 18:22 tn Heb “does not happen or come to pass.”
- Deuteronomy 18:22 tn Heb “the Lord has.” See note on the word “his” in v. 5.
- Deuteronomy 18:22 tn Heb “that is the word which the Lord has not spoken.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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