30 “Therefore behold, (A)I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am (B)against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their (C)lies and by (D)their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not (E)profit this people at all,” says the Lord.

33 “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is (F)the [a]oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, [b]‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. 34 “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The [c]oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 And the [d]oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have (G)perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 But since you say, ‘The [e]oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” 39 therefore behold, I, even I, (H)will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring (I)an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual (J)shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:33 burden, prophecy
  2. Jeremiah 23:33 LXX, Tg., Vg. ‘You are the burden.’
  3. Jeremiah 23:34 burden, prophecy
  4. Jeremiah 23:36 burden, prophecy
  5. Jeremiah 23:38 burden, prophecy

30 Therefore behold, (A)I am against the prophets,” declares the Lord, “who steal My words from each other. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the Lord, “who [a]use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares!’ 32 Behold, I am against those who have prophesied (B)false dreams,” declares the Lord, “and reported them and led My people astray by their lies and (C)reckless boasting; yet (D)I did not send them nor command them, nor do they (E)provide this people the slightest benefit,” declares the Lord.

33 “Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you, saying, ‘What is the [b](F)pronouncement of the Lord?’ then you shall say to them, ‘What [c]pronouncement?’ The Lord declares, ‘I will (G)abandon you.’ 34 Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say, ‘The (H)pronouncement of the Lord,’ I will bring punishment upon that person and his household. 35 This is what each one of you will say to his neighbor and to his brother: ‘(I)What has the Lord answered?’ or, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 For you will no longer remember the pronouncement of the Lord, because every person’s own word will become the pronouncement, and you have (J)perverted the words of the (K)living God, the Lord of armies, our God. 37 This is what you will say to that prophet: ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 And if you say, ‘The pronouncement of the Lord!’ for that reason the Lord says this: ‘Because you said this word, “The pronouncement of the Lord!” I have also sent word to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The pronouncement of the Lord!’”’ 39 Therefore behold, (L)I will certainly forget you and thrust you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers. 40 I will put an everlasting (M)disgrace on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:31 Lit take
  2. Jeremiah 23:33 Or burden, and so throughout the ch
  3. Jeremiah 23:33 Or burden, and so throughout the ch

30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against(A) the prophets(B) 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.’(C) 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,(D)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray(E) with their reckless lies,(F) yet I did not send(G) or appoint them. They do not benefit(H) 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(I) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake(J) you, declares the Lord.’ 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message(K) from the Lord,’ I will punish(L) 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?’(M) 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(N) the words of the living God,(O) 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(P) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace(Q)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”

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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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