Jeremiah 23 ISV NLT Parallel

◄ Jeremiah 23 ►

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1"How terrible for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD.

1“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the LORD.

2Therefore, this is what the LORD God of Israel says about the shepherds who are shepherding my people, "You have scattered my flock and driven them away. You haven't taken care of them, and now I'm about to take care of you because of your evil deeds," declares the LORD.

2Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: “Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them.

3"I'll gather the remnant of my flock from all the countries where I've driven them, and bring them back to their pasture where they'll be fruitful and increase in numbers.

3But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number.

4I'll raise up shepherds over them, and they'll shepherd them. My flock will no longer be afraid or terrified, and none will be missing," declares the LORD.

4Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the LORD, have spoken!

5"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I'll raise up a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who rules wisely, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

5“For the time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

6In his time Judah will be delivered and Israel will dwell in safety. This is the name by which he will be known: 'The LORD Our Righteousness.'

6And this will be his name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety.

7"Therefore, the time is coming," declares the LORD, "when people will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives who brought up the Israelis from the land of Egypt,'

7“In that day,” says the LORD, “when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’

8but they'll say, 'As surely as the LORD lives who brought the descendants of the Israelis from the land of the north and from all the lands where I had driven them and brought them into the land.' Then they'll live in their own land."

8Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land.” Judgment on False Prophets

9Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones shake. I'm like a drunk man, like a person overcome with wine, because of the LORD, and because of his holy words.

9My 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.

10Indeed, the land is full of adulterers. Indeed, the land mourns because of the curse; the pastures of the wilderness have dried up. The adulterers' lifestyles are evil, and they use their strength for what is not right.

10For 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.

11Indeed, both priest and prophet are ungodly. Even in my house I find evil," declares the LORD.

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.

12Therefore their way will be slippery. They'll be driven out into the darkness, where they'll fall. For I'll bring disaster on them, the year of their judgment," declares 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"Among the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing, for they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

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.

14Among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw a horrible thing, for they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil, so that no one repents of his evil. All of them are like Sodom to me, and her residents like Gomorrah."

14But 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.”

15Therefore, this is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies says about the prophets, "I'm about to make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, because godlessness has spread from the prophets of Jerusalem throughout the land."

15Therefore, 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.”

16This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Don't listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you; they're giving you false hopes. They declare visions from their own minds— they don't come from the LORD!

16This 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!

17They keep on saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD has said, "You will have peace."' To all who stubbornly follow their own desires they say, 'Disaster won't come upon you.'

17They 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!’

18But who has stood in the LORD's council to see and hear his message? Who has paid attention to his message and obeyed it?

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?

19Look, the storm of the LORD's wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest, and it will swirl down around the head of the wicked.

19Look! The LORD’s anger bursts out like a storm, a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked.

20The LORD's anger won't turn back until he has accomplished what he intended to do. In the future you will clearly understand it.

20The 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.

21I didn't send these prophets, but they ran anyway. I didn't speak to them, but they prophesied.

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.

22If they had stood in my council and had delivered my words to my people, then they would have turned them back from their evil way, from their evil deeds."

22If 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 near," declares the LORD, "rather than a God who is far away?

23Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the LORD. “No, I am far away at the same time.

24If a person hides himself in secret places, will I not see him?" declares the LORD. "I fill the heavens and the earth, do I not?" declares the LORD.

24Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the LORD.

25"I've heard what the prophets who prophesy lies in my name have said: 'I had a dream; I had a dream.'

25“I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name.

26How long will this go on? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy from the deceit that is in their hearts?

26How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say.

27With their dreams that they relate to one another, they plan to make my people forget my name just as their ancestors forgot my name by embracing Baal.

27By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.

28Let the prophet who has a dream relate the dream, but let whoever receives my message speak my message truthfully. What does straw have in common with wheat?" declares the LORD.

28“Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain!

29"My message is like fire or like a hammer that shatters rock, is it not?" declares the LORD.

29Does not my word burn like fire?” says the LORD. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?

30"Therefore, look, I'm against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who steal my words from each other.

30“Therefore,” says the LORD, “I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me.

31Look, I'm against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues to issue a declaration.

31I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the LORD!’

32Look, I'm against those who prophesy based on false dreams," declares the LORD, "and relate them and lead my people astray with their lies and their recklessness. I didn't send them; I didn't command them, and they provide no benefit at all to these people," declares the LORD.

32I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the LORD, have spoken! False Prophecies and False Prophets

33"Jeremiah, when these people, the prophet, or a priest ask you, 'What is the oracle of the LORD?' say to them, 'You are the burden, and I'll cast you out,'" declares the LORD.

33“Suppose one of the people or one of the prophets or priests asks you, ‘What prophecy has the LORD burdened you with now?’ You must reply, ‘You are the burden! The LORD says he will abandon you!’

34"As for the prophet, the priest, or the people who say, 'I have an oracle of the LORD,' I'll judge that person and his household.

34“If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the LORD,’ I will punish that person along with his entire family.

35This is what you should say to one another and among yourselves, 'What has the LORD answered?' or 'What has the LORD said?'

35You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’

36But you are to no longer mention the oracle of the LORD, because the oracle is only for the person to whom the LORD gives his message, and you have overturned the words of the living God, the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, our God.

36But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

37This is what you should say to the prophet, 'What has the LORD answered?' or 'What has the LORD said?'

37“This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’

38Since you're saying, 'We have an oracle of the LORD,' therefore this is what the LORD says: He will answer your message with this message, 'Burden of the LORD,' and I'll send you away with these words: 'Don't say, "Oracle of the LORD."'

38But suppose they respond, ‘This is a prophecy from the LORD!’ Then you should say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Because you have used this phrase, “prophecy from the LORD,” even though I warned you not to use it,

39Therefore I'll surely forget you and cast you and the city I gave you and your ancestors out of my presence.

39I will forget you completely. I will expel you from my presence, along with this city that I gave to you and your ancestors.

40I'll bring on you everlasting reproach and everlasting humiliation that won't ever be forgotten."

40And I will make you an object of ridicule, and your name will be infamous throughout the ages.’”

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