1‘Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!’ declares the Lord.2Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: ‘Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,’ declares the Lord.3‘I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.4I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,’ declares the Lord.5‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up for David[1] a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Saviour.7‘So then, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when people will no longer say, “As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,”8but they will say, “As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.” Then they will live in their own land.’
Lying prophets
9Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a strong man overcome by wine, because of the Lord and his holy words.10The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse[2] the land lies parched and the pastures in the wilderness are withered. The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.11‘Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness,’ declares the Lord.12‘Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished,’ declares the Lord.13‘Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.14And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that not one of them turns from their wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.’15Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets: ‘I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.’16This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.17They keep saying to those who despise me, “The Lord says: you will have peace.” And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, “No harm will come to you.”18But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?19See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked.20The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand it clearly.21I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied.22But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.23‘Am I only a God nearby,’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far away?24Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.25‘I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, “I had a dream! I had a dream!”26How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?27They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.28Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?’ declares the Lord.29‘Is not my word like fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?30‘Therefore,’ declares the Lord, ‘I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me.31Yes,’ declares the Lord, ‘I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, “The Lord declares.”32Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,’ declares the Lord. ‘They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit 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 from the Lord?” say to them, “What message? I will forsake you, declares the Lord.”34If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, “This is a message from the Lord,” I will punish them and their household.35This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: “What is the Lord’s answer?” or “What has the Lord spoken?”36But you must not mention “a message from the Lord” again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.37This is what you keep saying to a prophet: “What is the Lord’s answer to you?” or “What has the Lord spoken?”38Although 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.”39Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors.40I will bring on you everlasting disgrace – everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.’
Jeremiah 23
English Standard Version
The Righteous Branch
1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. (Isa 56:11; Jer 6:3; Jer 10:21; Jer 22:22; Jer 25:34; Jer 25:36; Eze 34:2; Zec 11:17; Joh 10:12)2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. (Jer 4:4; Jer 23:1; Jer 23:22)3Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. (Ge 1:28; De 30:3; Ps 107:3; Jer 8:3; Jer 29:14; Jer 32:37; Eze 20:34; Eze 20:41; Eze 34:11; Eze 37:21)4I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. (Jer 3:15)5“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (Isa 4:2; Isa 11:1; Isa 32:1; Jer 30:9; Jer 33:14; Eze 37:24; Ho 3:5; Zec 9:9; Mt 2:2; Lu 1:32; Lu 19:38; Joh 1:49)6In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ (De 33:28; Jer 32:37; Zec 14:11; Ro 10:4; 1Co 1:30)7“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ (Jer 16:14)8but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he[1] had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”
Lying Prophets
9Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; 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. (Eze 6:9; Hab 3:16)10For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right. (Ps 10:7; Ps 59:12; Ps 107:34; Jer 4:28; Jer 5:7; Jer 9:2; Jer 9:10; Jer 12:4; Jer 22:17; Ho 4:2)11“Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the Lord. (Jer 6:13; Jer 7:30; Jer 23:33; Jer 32:34; Eze 8:16; Eze 23:39; Zep 3:4)12Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall, for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment, declares the Lord. (Ps 35:6; Ps 73:18; Pr 4:19; Jer 11:23; Jer 13:16)13In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. (Isa 7:9; Isa 9:16; Jer 2:8; La 2:14; Eze 16:46; Eze 16:51; Eze 16:53; Eze 16:55; Eze 23:4; Eze 23:33; Mic 3:5)14But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.” (Ps 64:5; Isa 1:9; Isa 13:19; Jer 29:23; Eze 13:22)15Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.” (Pr 5:4; Jer 8:14; Jer 9:15)16Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. (Nu 16:28; Ps 12:2; Jer 23:21; Jer 23:26)17They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” (Jer 3:17; Jer 5:12; Jer 6:14; Mic 3:11; Zec 10:2)18For 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? (Isa 40:14; Jer 23:22)19Behold, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. (Jer 25:32; Jer 30:23)20The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly. (Isa 55:11; Jer 30:24)21“I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. (Jer 14:14)22But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds. (Jer 23:2; Jer 23:18; Jer 25:5; Lu 1:17)23“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? (Ps 94:7; Ps 94:9; Ps 139:7; Am 9:2)24Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. (Isa 66:1; Jer 23:23; Ac 7:49)25I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ (Jer 5:31; Zec 10:2)26How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, (Nu 16:28; Jer 23:16; Jer 23:21)27who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? (Jud 3:7; Jud 8:33; Jer 23:25)28Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. (Nu 12:6; Jer 23:25; Lu 3:17)29Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jer 23:28; Da 2:34; Da 2:45)30Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another. (De 18:20; Jer 14:15; Eze 13:8)31Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord.’32Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord. (Jer 14:14; Jer 23:13; Jer 23:21)33“When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden,[2] and I will cast you off, declares the Lord.’ (Eze 14:1; Ho 4:6)34And as for the prophet, priest, or one of the people who says, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ I will punish that man and his household. (Jer 23:33)35Thus shall you say, every one to his neighbor and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’36But ‘the burden of the Lord’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man’s own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. (Ps 42:2; Mt 15:6)37Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’38But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have said these words, “The burden of the Lord,” when I sent to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’”39therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up[3] and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers. (Jer 23:33)40And I will bring upon you everlasting reproach and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’” (Jer 20:11)