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Jeremiah 23:21-40
King James Version
Jeremiah 23:21-40
King James Version
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.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.
33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.
34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.
35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
36 And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.
37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;
39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:
40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
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Jeremiah 23:21-40
New International Version
Jeremiah 23:21-40
New International Version
21 I did not send(A) these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,(B)
they would have proclaimed(C) my words to my people
and would have turned(D) them from their evil ways
and from their evil deeds.(E)
23 “Am I only a God nearby,(F)”
declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide(G) in secret places
so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”(H)
declares the Lord.
25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies(I) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!(J) I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions(K) of their own minds?(L) 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget(M) my name, just as their ancestors forgot(N) my name through Baal worship.(O) 28 Let the prophet who has a dream(P) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word(Q) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,”(R) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer(S) that breaks a rock in pieces?
30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against(T) the prophets(U) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’(V) 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,(W)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray(X) with their reckless lies,(Y) yet I did not send(Z) or appoint them. They do not benefit(AA) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.
False Prophecy
33 “When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message(AB) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake(AC) you, declares the Lord.’ 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message(AD) from the Lord,’ I will punish(AE) them and their household. 35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’(AF) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort(AG) the words of the living God,(AH) the Lord Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ 39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast(AI) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace(AJ)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”
New International Version (NIV) 
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