Jeremiah 23:9-24
Modern English Version
Lying Prophets
9 My heart is broken within me,
because of the prophets;
all my bones shake;
I am like a drunken man,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord,
and because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
for the land mourns because of the curse.
The pleasant places of the wilderness have dried up.
And their course is evil
and their might is not right.
11 For both prophet and priest are profane;
indeed, in My house I have found their wickedness,
says the Lord.
12 Therefore their way will be as slippery ways to them;
they shall be driven into the darkness
and fall in it;
for I will bring disaster upon them,
even the year of their punishment,
says the Lord.
13 In addition, I have seen folly
in the prophets of Samaria.
They prophesied by Baal
and caused My people Israel to err.
14 I have seen also among the prophets of Jerusalem
a horrible thing.
They commit adultery and walk in lies.
They also strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that no one repents from his wickedness.
All of them are as Sodom to Me
and her inhabitants as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts concerning the prophets:
“I will feed them with wormwood
and make them drink the water of gall,
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
profaneness has gone out into all the land.”
16 Thus says the Lord of Hosts:
Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They lead you into vanity;
they speak a vision of their own heart
and not out of the mouth of the Lord.
17 They still say to those who despise Me,
“The Lord has said, ‘You will have peace’ ”;
and they say to everyone who walks after the imagination of his own heart,
“No evil will come upon you.”
18 For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord
and has perceived and heard His word?
Who has given heed to His word and listened to it?
19 Look, a whirlwind of the Lord
has gone forth in fury,
a tempestuous whirlwind.
It will fall tempestuously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back
until He has executed and performed
the thoughts of His heart.
In the latter days
you will understand it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets,
yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in My counsel
and had caused My people to hear My words,
then they would have turned them from their evil way
and from the evil of their deeds.
23 Am I a God who is near,
says the Lord,
and not a God far off?
24 Can a man hide himself in secret places
so that I do not see him?
says the Lord.
Do I not fill heaven and earth?
says the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:9-24
Authorized (King James) Version
9 Mine heart within me is broken
because of the prophets;
all my bones shake;
I am like a drunken man,
and like a man whom wine hath overcome,
because of the Lord,
and because of the words of his holiness.
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
for because of swearing the land mourneth;
the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up,
and their course is evil,
and their force is not right.
11 For both prophet and priest are profane;
yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them
as slippery ways in the darkness:
they shall be driven on, and fall therein:
for I will bring evil upon them,
even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.
13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria;
they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing:
they commit adultery, and walk in lies:
they strengthen also the hands of evildoers,
that none doth return from his wickedness:
they are all of them unto me as Sodom,
and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. 16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. 17 They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord,
and hath perceived and heard his word?
who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury,
even a grievous whirlwind:
it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord shall not return,
until he have executed,
and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart:
in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran:
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel,
and had caused my people to hear my words,
then they should have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their doings.
23 Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord,
and not a God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret places
that I shall not see him? saith the Lord.
Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.