Jeremiah 23
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 23
Messianic Oracles. 1 Woe to the shepherds who lead astray and scatter the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord. 2 Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has to say in regard to the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my flock and driven them away, and you showed not the slightest concern about taking care of them. Therefore, I will not hesitate to punish you for your evil deeds, says the Lord.
3 I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their meadows where they will be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will appoint shepherds for them who will treat them kindly, so that they will no longer fear or experience terror, nor will any be discovered missing, says the Lord.
5 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord,
when I will raise up a righteous branch
from the line of David.
He will reign as king and rule wisely
and ensure justice and righteousness in the land.
6 In his days Judah will live in safety,
and Israel will dwell in security.
And this is the name that will be given to him:
“The Lord Our Righteousness.”
7 Therefore, the days are coming, says the Lord, when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt,” 8 but rather, “As the Lord lives who brought forth the offspring of the house of Israel up from the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had dispersed them.” Then they will again inhabit their own land.
The False Prophets[a]
9 As for the prophets,
my heart is broken within me,
and all my bones never cease to tremble.
I have become like a drunken man,
like someone overcome with wine,
because of the Lord
and because of his holy words.
10 For the land swarms with adulterers;
because of them the country mourns
and the pastures in the desert have withered.
11 Both the prophets and the priests are godless;
even in my own house have I observed their wickedness,
says the Lord.
12 Therefore, they will find that the paths they travel
will be slippery beneath their feet;
in the darkness where they are driven,
they will fall headlong.
For I will inflict disaster upon them
in the year of their punishment,
says the Lord.
13 Among the prophets of Samaria
I beheld this repulsive deed:
they prophesied in the name of Baal
and led my people astray.
14 But among the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen deeds that are even more shocking:
they commit adultery and persist in lying
and uphold those who are evil
so that no one turns away from wickedness.
To me they have all become like Sodom,
and its inhabitants are like Gomorrah.
15 Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts in regard to the prophets:
I intend to give them wormwood to eat
and force them to drink poisoned water.
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness has spread throughout the land.
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
Do not listen to the words of the prophets;
their prophecies are designed to delude you.
They concoct visions from their own minds
and not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 To those who despise the word of the Lord
they say, “Peace will be yours.”
To those who follow their own stubborn inclinations
they say, “No harm will befall you.”
18 Yet which of them has stood in the council of the Lord
to see or to hear his word?
Which of them has heeded his word and proclaimed it?
19 Behold the storm of the Lord!
His wrath bursts forth
like a frightening tempest
that whirls around the heads of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not subside
until he has fully accomplished
the purposes he has in mind.
When the time comes,
you will understand this clearly.
21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they went forth in haste.
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,
they would have then proclaimed my words to my people
and caused them to turn back from their evil ways
and from the wickedness of their deeds.
23 The Lord asks:
Am I a God only when I am near at hand,
but not when I am far away?
24 Can someone hide in a secret place
so that I cannot see him?
Do I not fill heaven and earth?
25 I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. “I have had a dream,” they cry out. “I have had a dream.” 26 How much longer must we endure prophets who prophesy lies and proclaim their own delusions? 27 By means of the dreams that they relate to one another, they believe that they will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name and replaced it with Baal. 28 Let the prophet who has a dream relate his dream, but let the one who receives my word deliver it truthfully.
What does straw have in common with wheat?
asks the Lord.
29 Is not my word like fire, says the Lord,
like a hammer shattering a rock?
30 Therefore, says the Lord, I have set myself in opposition to the prophets who steal my words from one another. 31 I am against those prophets who concoct their own prophecies and then assert, “Thus says the Lord.” 32 I am against those prophets who prophesy lying dreams, says the Lord, and then recount them, thereby leading my people astray with their lies and reckless bragging. They have not received any commission from me, and so they are of no benefit to this people in any way, says the Lord.
33 And when this people or a prophet or a priest asks you, “What is the burden of the Lord?” you are to reply, “You are the burden, and I will cast you off,” says the Lord. 34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else speaks of “the burden of the Lord,” I will punish that man and his household.
35 Therefore, when speaking to one another, you are to ask, “What answer did the Lord give?” or “What did the Lord say?” 36 But you must never again speak of “the burden of the Lord,” because each man’s word becomes his own burden, and you therefore pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God.
37 Therefore, you are to ask a prophet, “What answer has the Lord given?” or “What has the Lord said?” 38 But if you say “the burden of the Lord,” the Lord will reply, “Because you have used the words ‘the burden of the Lord’ when I forbade you to use that expression, 39 therefore, I will lift you up and cast you away from my presence, both you and the city that I gave to you and your ancestors. 40 And I will inflict upon you everlasting disgrace and eternal and unforgettable shame.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 23:9 Jeremiah is heartsick at these professional prophets who flatter the people instead of shaking them up, and who take their dreams as the word of God or accommodate their message to the tastes of the day.
耶利米书 23
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
將來的指望
23 “那些殘殺和趕散我牧場上的羊群的牧人，有禍了！”這是耶和華的宣告。 2 因此，耶和華以色列的 神論到牧養他（“他”原文作“我”）子民的牧人這樣說：“你們使我的羊群四散，把牠們趕走，並沒有看顧牠們；看哪！我必因你們的惡行懲罰你們。”這是耶和華的宣告。 3 “我要親自把我羊群中餘剩的，從我把牠們趕逐到的各地，招聚出來，領牠們歸回自己的羊圈，使牠們繁殖增多。 4 我要興起牧人，牧養牠們；牠們必不再恐懼驚慌，一個也不會失掉。”這是耶和華的宣告。
5 “看哪！日子快到
（這是耶和華的宣告），
我必給大衛興起一個公義的苗裔；
他必執政為王，行事有智慧，
在地上施行公正和公義。
6 在他執政的日子，猶大必得救，
以色列也必安然居住。
人要稱他的名字為‘耶和華我們的義’。”
7 “因此，看哪！日子快到（這是耶和華的宣告），人不再指著那領以色列人從埃及地上來的永活的耶和華起誓， 8 卻要指著那領以色列家的後裔從北方之地、從他（“他”原文作“我”）把他們趕逐到的各地上來的、永活的耶和華起誓。他們就必住在自己的地方。”
假先知的罪惡與報應
9 論到那些先知，
我的心在我裡面破碎，
我全身的骨頭都發抖。
因為耶和華的緣故，
又因為他的聖言的緣故，
我就像一個醉酒的人，
像一個被酒灌醉的人。
10 因為這地滿了行淫的人；
因受咒詛，地就悲哀，
曠野的草場都枯乾了；
他們走的路是邪惡的，
他們的權力誤用了。
11 “先知和祭司都不敬虔，
甚至在我殿裡我也看見他們的邪惡。”
這是耶和華的宣告。
12 “因此，他們的路必像滑地；
他們必被趕逐到黑暗中，
必在那裡仆倒。
因為到了懲罰他們的年日，
我必使災禍臨到他們。”
這是耶和華的宣告。
13 “在撒瑪利亞的先知中，
我看見可厭的事：
他們竟奉巴力的名說預言，
使我的子民以色列走錯了路。
14 在耶路撒冷的先知中，
我看見可怕的事。
他們犯姦淫，行事虛假，
堅固惡人的手，
以致沒有人離棄惡行；
在我看來，他們都像所多瑪人，
耶路撒冷的居民也像蛾摩拉人一樣。”
15 因此，論到這些先知，萬軍之耶和華這樣說：
“看哪！我必使他們吃苦堇，喝毒水，
因為有不敬虔的風氣，
從耶路撒冷的先知中散播出來，遍及全地。”
16 萬軍之耶和華這樣說：
“不要聽從這些向你們說預言的先知所說的話，
他們使你們存有虛幻的希望；
他們所講的異象是出於自己的心思，
不是出於耶和華的口。
17 他們不斷對那些藐視我的人說：
‘耶和華說：你們必平安無事！’
又對所有隨從自己頑梗的心行事的人說：
‘災禍必不臨到你們！’”
18 可是他們中間有誰曾參與耶和華的議會，
看見或聽見他的話呢？
有誰曾留心聽他的話而實在聽見呢？
19 看哪！耶和華的旋風，
在震怒中發出，
是旋轉的狂風，
必捲到惡人的頭上。
20 耶和華的怒氣必不轉消，
直到他作成和實現他心中的計劃。
在末後的日子，
你們就會完全明白這事。
21 “我沒有差派這些先知，
但他們自己到處跑；
我沒有對他們說話，
他們竟擅自說預言。
22 如果他們曾參與我的議會，
就必向我的子民宣告我的信息，
使他們轉離他們的惡道，
離開他們的惡行。
23 難道我只是近處的 神嗎？
不也是遠處的 神嗎？”
這是耶和華的宣告。
24 “人怎能躲藏在隱密處，
以致我看不見他呢？
（這是耶和華的宣告）。
我豈不是充滿天地嗎？”
這是耶和華的宣告。
25 “那些先知所說的話我都聽見了，他們冒我的名說虛假的預言：‘我作了夢！我作了夢！’ 26 那些先知心裡存著這樣的意念要到幾時呢？他們說虛假的預言，說出自己心中的詭詐； 27 他們以為藉著互相傳述自己的夢，就可以使我的子民忘記我的名，好像他們的列祖因巴力忘記了我的名一樣。 28 作了夢的先知，讓他把夢述說出來；但得了我話語的先知，該忠實地傳講我的話。禾稈怎能和麥子相比呢？”這是耶和華的宣告。 29 “我的話不是像火，不是像能打碎巖石的大鎚嗎？”這是耶和華的宣告。 30 “所以，看哪！那些先知互相偷取對方的話，當作我的話，我要對付他們。”這是耶和華的宣告。 31 “看哪！那些先知用自己的舌頭說：‘這是耶和華的宣告’，我要對付他們。”這是耶和華的宣告。 32 “看哪！那些藉虛假的夢說預言的，我要對付他們。”這是耶和華的宣告。“他們述說這些夢，以虛謊和誇張的話使我的子民走錯了路。我沒有差派他們，也沒有吩咐他們；他們對這人民毫無益處。”這是耶和華的宣告。
耶和華的默示
33 “如果這人民、或先知、或祭司問你說：‘耶和華有甚麼默示呢？’你要回答他們：‘你們就是重擔（按照《馬索拉文本》，“你們就是重擔”應作“甚麼默示？”；現參照《七十士譯本》翻譯。“重擔”和“默示”原文是同一個字），我要丟棄你們。’”這是耶和華的宣告。 34 “無論是先知、是祭司，或是人民，凡說‘這是耶和華的默示’的，我都要懲罰那人和他的家。”
35 你們各人對自己的鄰舍，對自己的兄弟要這樣說：“耶和華回答了甚麼？耶和華說了甚麼？” 36 你們不可再提耶和華的默示，你們各人所說的話將成為自己的重擔；因為你們曲解永活的 神萬軍之耶和華我們 神的話了。 37 你們要對 神的先知（“你們要對 神的先知”或譯：“耶利米啊，你要對那些先知”）說：“耶和華回答了你甚麼？耶和華說了甚麼呢？” 38 如果你們仍說：“這是耶和華的默示”，耶和華就必這樣說：“你們既然說‘這是耶和華的默示’這句話，而我又曾差派人去告訴你們不可再說‘這是耶和華的默示’； 39 因此，看哪！我必把你們當作重擔舉起來（“我必把你們當作重擔舉起來”或譯：“我必定忘記你們”），把你們連同我賜給你們和你們列祖的城都從我面前丟棄。 40 我必使你們蒙受永遠的凌辱、永遠的羞恥，是不能忘記的。”
Jeremiah 23
New King James Version
The Branch of Righteousness
23 “Woe (A)to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. (B)Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. 3 “But (C)I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 I will set up (D)shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.
5 “Behold, (E)the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and [a]prosper,
(F)And execute [b]judgment and righteousness in the [c]earth.
6 (G)In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel (H)will dwell safely;
Now (I)this is His name by which He will be called:
[d]THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7 “Therefore, behold, (J)the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country (K)and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own (L)land.”
False Prophets and Empty Oracles
9 My heart within me is broken
Because of the prophets;
(M)All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord,
And because of His holy words.
10 For (N)the land is full of adulterers;
For (O)because of a curse the land mourns.
(P)The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course of life is evil,
And their might is not right.
11 “For (Q)both prophet and priest are profane;
Yes, (R)in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
12 “Therefore(S) their way shall be to them
Like slippery ways;
In the darkness they shall be driven on
And fall in them;
For I (T)will bring disaster on them,
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
13 “And I have seen [e]folly in the prophets of Samaria:
(U)They prophesied by Baal
And (V)caused My people Israel to err.
14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
(W)They commit adultery and walk in lies;
They also (X)strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one turns back from his wickedness.
All of them are like (Y)Sodom to Me,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:
‘Behold, I will feed them with (Z)wormwood,
And make them drink the water of gall;
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
[f]Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ”
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
(AA)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, (AB)“You shall have peace” ’;
And to everyone who (AC)walks according to the [g]dictates of his own heart, they say,
(AD)‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”
18 For (AE)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 (AF)whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The (AG)anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
(AH)In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
21 “I(AI) 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 (AJ)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 (AK)hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the Lord;
(AL)“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, (AM)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 (AN)fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30 “Therefore behold, (AO)I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am (AP)against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their (AQ)lies and by (AR)their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not (AS)profit this people at all,” says the Lord.
33 “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is (AT)the [h]oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, [i]‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. 34 “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The [j]oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 And the [k]oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have (AU)perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 But since you say, ‘The [l]oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” 39 therefore behold, I, even I, (AV)will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring (AW)an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual (AX)shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 23:5 act wisely
- Jeremiah 23:5 justice
- Jeremiah 23:5 land
- Jeremiah 23:6 Heb. YHWH Tsidkenu
- Jeremiah 23:13 Lit. distastefulness
- Jeremiah 23:15 Or Pollution
- Jeremiah 23:17 stubbornness or imagination
- Jeremiah 23:33 burden, prophecy
- Jeremiah 23:33 LXX, Tg., Vg. ‘You are the burden.’
- Jeremiah 23:34 burden, prophecy
- Jeremiah 23:36 burden, prophecy
- Jeremiah 23:38 burden, prophecy
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
