Old Testament

New Testament

Jeremiah 23:12-26 Common English Bible (CEB)

12. Therefore, they will find themselves on slippery groundand will be thrust into darkness,where they will collapse.I will bring disaster upon them,when their time comes, declares the Lord.

13. In the prophets of SamariaI saw something shocking:They prophesied by Baaland led astray my people Israel.

14. In the prophets of JerusalemI saw something horrible:They commit adultery and tell lies.They encourage evildoersso that no one turns from their wickedness.In my eyes, they are no better than Sodom;its people are like Gomorrah.

15. Therefore, this is what the Lord of heavenly forces proclaims concerning the prophets:I’m going to feed them bitter foodand give them poison to drink.Wickedness has spread from the prophets of Jerusalemthroughout the land.

16. The Lord proclaims:Don’t listen to the prophetswho are speaking to you;they are deceiving you.Their visions come from their own hearts,not from the Lord’s mouth.

17. They keep saying to those who scorn God’s message,"All will go well for you,"and to those who follow their own willful hearts,"Nothing bad will happen to you."

18. But who has stood in the Lord’s councilto listen to God’s word?Who has paid attention to his word and announced it?

19. Look! The Lord’s angry storm breaks out;it whirls around the heads of the wicked.

20. The Lord’s fierce angerwon’t turn backuntil it accomplishes all that he has planned.In the days to come,you will understand what this means.

21. I didn’t send the prophets,yet they ran anyway.I didn’t speak to them,yet they prophesied anyway.

22. If they had stood in my council,they would have proclaimedmy words to my people;they would have turned themfrom their evil ways and deeds.

23. The Lord declares, Am I a Godwho is only nearby and not far off?

24. Can people hide themselves in secret placesso I might not see them?Don’t I fill heaven and earth?

25. I have heard the prophets prophesying lies in my name. They claim, "I’ve had a dream; I’ve had a dream!"

26. How long will deceitful prophecies dominate the minds of the prophets? Those prophets are treacherous.

Read complete chapter Jeremiah 23