Jeremiah 23:9-24
New Living Translation
Judgment on False Prophets
9 My heart is broken because of the false prophets,
and my bones tremble.
I stagger like a drunkard,
like someone overcome by wine,
because of the holy words
the Lord has spoken against them.
10 For the land is full of adultery,
and it lies under a curse.
The land itself is in mourning—
its wilderness pastures are dried up.
For they all do evil
and abuse what power they have.
11 “Even the priests and prophets
are ungodly, wicked men.
I have seen their despicable acts
right here in my own Temple,”
says the Lord.
12 “Therefore, the paths they take
will become slippery.
They will be chased through the dark,
and there they will fall.
For I will bring disaster upon them
at the time fixed for their punishment.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
13 “I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil,
for they prophesied in the name of Baal
and led my people of Israel into sin.
14 But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse!
They commit adultery and love dishonesty.
They encourage those who are doing evil
so that no one turns away from their sins.
These prophets are as wicked
as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.”
15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets:
“I will feed them with bitterness
and give them poison to drink.
For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets
that wickedness has filled this land.”
16 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people:
“Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,
filling you with futile hopes.
They are making up everything they say.
They do not speak for the Lord!
17 They keep saying to those who despise my word,
‘Don’t worry! The Lord says you will have peace!’
And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires,
they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’
18 “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence
to hear what he is really saying?
Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
19 Look! The Lord’s anger bursts out like a storm,
a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not diminish
until it has finished all he has planned.
In the days to come
you will understand all this very clearly.
21 “I have not sent these prophets,
yet they run around claiming to speak for me.
I have given them no message,
yet they go on prophesying.
22 If they had stood before me and listened to me,
they would have spoken my words,
and they would have turned my people
from their evil ways and deeds.
23 Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the Lord.
“No, I am far away at the same time.
24 Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?
Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?”
says the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:9-24
English Standard Version
Lying Prophets
9 Concerning the prophets:
(A)My heart is broken within me;
(B)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 (C)For the land is full of adulterers;
(D)because of the curse (E)the land mourns,
and (F)the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.
(G)Their course is evil,
and their might is not right.
11 (H)“Both prophet and priest are ungodly;
even (I)in my house I have found their evil,
declares the Lord.
12 (J)Therefore their way shall be to them
like slippery paths (K)in the darkness,
into which they shall be driven and fall,
for I will bring disaster upon them
(L)in the year of their punishment,
declares the Lord.
13 In the prophets of (M)Samaria
(N)I saw an unsavory thing:
(O)they prophesied by Baal
(P)and led my people Israel astray.
14 But in the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen a horrible thing:
(Q)they commit adultery and walk in lies;
(R)they strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that no one turns from his evil;
(S)all of them have become like Sodom to me,
(T)and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:
(U)“Behold, I will feed them with bitter food
(V)and give them (W)poisoned water to drink,
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness 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, (X)filling you with vain hopes. (Y)They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. 17 They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, (Z)‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who (AA)stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, (AB)‘No disaster shall come upon you.’”
18 For (AC)who among them has stood in the council of the Lord
to see and to hear his word,
or who has paid attention to his word and listened?
19 (AD)Behold, the storm of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
(AE)a whirling tempest;
it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
20 (AF)The anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he has executed and (AG)accomplished
the intents of his heart.
(AH)In the latter days you will understand it clearly.
21 (AI)“I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 (AJ)But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
(AK)and they would have turned them from their evil way,
and (AL)from the evil of their deeds.
23 (AM)“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? 24 (AN)Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. (AO)Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.
Read full chapterHoly Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
