16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
(A)They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘The Lord has said, (B)“You shall have peace” ’;
And to everyone who (C)walks according to the [a]dictates of his own heart, they say,
(D)‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”

18 For (E)who has stood in the counsel of the Lord,
And has perceived and heard His word?
Who has marked His word and heard it?
19 Behold, a (F)whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The (G)anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
(H)In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.

21 “I(I) have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in My counsel,
And had caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have (J)turned them from their evil way
And from the evil of their doings.

23 Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord,
“And not a God afar off?
24 Can anyone (K)hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the Lord;
(L)“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, (M)as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.

28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.
29 Is not My word like a (N)fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:17 stubbornness or imagination

16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen(A) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions(B) from their own minds,
    not from the mouth(C) of the Lord.
17 They keep saying(D) to those who despise me,
    ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’(E)
And to all who follow the stubbornness(F) of their hearts
    they say, ‘No harm(G) will come to you.’
18 But which of them has stood in the council(H) of the Lord
    to see or to hear his word?
    Who has listened and heard his word?
19 See, the storm(I) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind(J) swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger(K) of the Lord will not turn back(L)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand it clearly.
21 I did not send(M) these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,(N)
    they would have proclaimed(O) my words to my people
and would have turned(P) them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.(Q)

23 “Am I only a God nearby,(R)
declares the Lord,
    “and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide(S) in secret places
    so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
    “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”(T)
declares the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies(U) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!(V) I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions(W) of their own minds?(X) 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget(Y) my name, just as their ancestors forgot(Z) my name through Baal worship.(AA) 28 Let the prophet who has a dream(AB) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word(AC) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,”(AD) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer(AE) that breaks a rock in pieces?

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