Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Jeremiah 23:31

I am against the false prophets," says the Lord . "They use their own words and pretend it is a message from me.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Dream;   Minister, Christian;   Prophets;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Thompson Chain Reference - Leaders;   Ministers;   Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Opposition;   Profit;   Prophecy and Prophets;   Sending and Those Sent;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prophets, False;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, prophet;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - False Prophet;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Quakers;   Holman Bible Dictionary - False Prophet;   Jeremiah;   Lamentations, Book of;   Oracles;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Dream (2);   False Prophets;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Micaiah;   Prophesyings, False;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Dreams;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I am against the prophets”—the Lord’s declaration—“who use their own tongues to make a declaration.
Hebrew Names Version
Behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who use their tongues, and say, He says.
King James Version
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord , that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
English Standard Version
Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord , who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord .'
New American Standard Bible
"Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares!'
Amplified Bible
"Hear this, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who use their [own deceitful] tongues and say, 'Thus says the Lord.'
World English Bible
Behold, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, who use their tongues, and say, He says.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Beholde, I will come against the prophets, saith the Lord, which haue sweete tongues, & say, He saith.
Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, I am against the prophets," declares Yahweh, "who take their tongues and declare, ‘Yahweh declares.'
Berean Standard Bible
"Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, 'The Lord declares it.'"
Complete Jewish Bible
Yes, I am against the prophets," says Adonai , "who speak their own words, then add, ‘He says.'
Darby Translation
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that use their tongues, and say, He hath said.
Easy-to-Read Version
Yes, the Lord says, "I am against the false prophets. They use their own words and pretend that it is a message from me.
George Lamsa Translation
Behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who pervert their tongues, and say, Thus says the LORD.
Good News Translation
I am also against those prophets who speak their own words and claim they came from me.
Lexham English Bible
Look, I am against the prophets," declares Yahweh, "who take their tongues and declare as prophets, ‘Yahweh declares.'
Literal Translation
Jehovah says, Behold, I am against the prophets who use their tongues and say, He says.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Beholde, here am I (saieth the LORDE) agaynst the prophetes, that take vpon their tunges to speake: The LORDE hath sayde it.
American Standard Version
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Bible in Basic English
See, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who let their tongues say, He has said.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues and say: 'He saith.'
King James Version (1611)
Beholde, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that vse their tongues, and say; He sayth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Beholde, here am I saith the Lorde, against the prophetes that make tongues tender to speake, and to say, The Lorde hath saide it.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Behold, I am against the prophets that put forth prophecies of mere words, and slumber their sleep.
English Revised Version
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lo! Y to the profetis, seith the Lord, that taken her tungis, and seien, The Lord seith.
Update Bible Version
Look, I am against the prophets, says Yahweh, that use their tongues, and say, He says.
Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
New English Translation
I, the Lord , affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who are using their own tongues to declare, ‘The Lord declares….'
New King James Version
Behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who use their tongues and say, "He says.'
New Living Translation
I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the Lord !'
New Life Bible
See, I am against these men," says the Lord, "who use their tongues and say, ‘This is what the Lord says.'
New Revised Standard
See, I am against the prophets, says the Lord , who use their own tongues and say, "Says the Lord ."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Behold me! against the prophets, Declareth Yahweh, who presume with their tongue and declare He declareth:
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold I am against the prophets, saith the Lord: who use their tongues, and say: The Lord saith it.
Revised Standard Version
Behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who use their tongues and say, 'Says the LORD.'
Young's Literal Translation
Lo, I [am] against the prophets, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are making smooth their tongue, And they affirm -- an affirmation.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares.'

Contextual Overview

9 A message to the prophets: My heart is broken. All my bones shake. I'm like someone who is drunk, like someone who has been overcome with wine. This is because of the Lord and his holy words. 10 The land of Judah is full of people who are guilty of adultery. Because of this, the Lord cursed the land. It has become a very sad place, and the pastures have dried up. The people are evil and use their power in the wrong way. 11 "Both the prophets and the priests live as if there were no God. I have found them doing evil things even in my own Temple," says the Lord . 12 "So they will be in danger. They will be forced into darkness where they will be defeated. I will bring disaster on them in the year I punish them," says the Lord . 13 "I saw the prophets of Samaria do something wrong. Those prophets prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel away. 14 And I have seen the prophets of Jerusalem do terrible things. They are guilty of adultery and live by lies. They encourage evil people to keep on doing evil, so the people don't stop sinning. All of those people are like the city of Sodom. The people of Jerusalem are like the city of Gomorrah to me!" 15 So this is what the Lord All-Powerful says about the prophets: "I will make those prophets eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because the prophets of Jerusalem spread wickedness through the whole country." 16 This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "Don't pay attention to what those prophets are saying to you. They are trying to fool you. They talk about visions their own minds made up, not about visions from me. 17 They say to those who hate me: ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.' They say to all those who are stubborn and do as they please: ‘Nothing bad will happen to you.' 18 But none of these prophets has stood in the meeting of angels to see or hear the message of the Lord . None of them has paid close attention to his message.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

use: or, smooth, Isaiah 30:10, Micah 2:11

He: Jeremiah 23:17, 2 Chronicles 18:5, 2 Chronicles 18:10-12, 2 Chronicles 18:19-21

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 18:20 - the prophet 1 Kings 22:11 - Thus saith Lamentations 2:14 - false Ezekiel 13:6 - saying

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, I [am] against the prophets, saith the Lord,.... Not another sort of prophets distinct from the former, or those that follow; but the same under another character, and against whom he was, and set his face on another occasion;

that use their tongues; at their pleasure, their lips being their own. So the Targum,

"who prophesy according to the will of their own hearts;''

talk in a haughty and insolent manner, speaking bold and daring things of the divine Being; or in a boasting bragging manner, extolling themselves, and speaking highly in their own commendations; or rather in a flattering way to the people: so some read it, by a transposition of a radical letter r, "that smooth their tongues", as Kimchi; or speak smooth things with their tongues, to please the people:

and say, he saith; that is, "the Lord", as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions express it; that so they, night be the more easily believed by the people; but this was highly provoking to God, to father their lies and falsehoods upon him.

r הלוקחים "hic pro" המחליקים "qui lenificant linguam suam", Pagninus, Gataker; "sumentes blandam linguan suam", Schmidt.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That use their tongues - literally, that take their tongues. Their second characteristic. They have no message from God, but they take their tongues, their only implement, and say, He saith, using the solemn formula by which Yahweh affirms the truth of His words. Solemn asseverations seemed to give reality to their emptiness.


 
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