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31 the prophets give false prophecies,
    and the priests rule with an iron hand.
Worse yet, my people like it that way!
    But what will you do when the end comes?

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31 The prophets prophesy lies,(A)
    the priests(B) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?(C)

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Instead, they have told lies and made false predictions. They say, ‘This message is from the Lord,’ even though the Lord never sent them. And yet they expect him to fulfill their prophecies!

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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)

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11 Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you,
    “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!”
That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!

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11 If a liar and deceiver(A) comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’(B)
    that would be just the prophet for this people!(C)

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14 Then the Lord said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.

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14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies(A) in my name. I have not sent(B) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,(C) divinations,(D) idolatries[a] and the delusions of their own minds.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 14:14 Or visions, worthless divinations

The Danger of False Teachers

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.

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False Teachers and Their Destruction

But there were also false prophets(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord(C) who bought them(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

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For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

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For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.(A) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.(B) They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.(C)

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This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies.

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The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan(A) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders(B) that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.(C) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.(D) 11 For this reason God sends them(E) a powerful delusion(F) so that they will believe the lie(G)

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13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

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13 For such people are false apostles,(A) deceitful(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.(C) 14 And no wonder, for Satan(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.(E)

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19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:21 Or can see God at work in what he is doing.

19 This is the verdict: Light(A) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.(B) 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.(C) 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

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Gather before judgment begins,
    before your time to repent is blown away like chaff.
Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls
    and the terrible day of the Lord’s anger begins.
Seek the Lord, all who are humble,
    and follow his commands.
Seek to do what is right
    and to live humbly.
Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you—
    protect you from his anger on that day of destruction.

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before the decree takes effect
    and that day passes like windblown chaff,(A)
before the Lord’s fierce anger(B)
    comes upon you,
before the day of the Lord’s wrath(C)
    comes upon you.
Seek(D) the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness,(E) seek humility;(F)
    perhaps you will be sheltered(G)
    on the day of the Lord’s anger.

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What will you do when I punish you,
    when I send disaster upon you from a distant land?
To whom will you turn for help?
    Where will your treasures be safe?

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What will you do on the day of reckoning,(A)
    when disaster(B) comes from afar?
To whom will you run for help?(C)
    Where will you leave your riches?

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29 Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
    Oh, that they might know their fate!

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29 If only they were wise and would understand this(A)
    and discern what their end will be!(B)

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The Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.

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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) 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.(C) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?(D) 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

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