Jeremiah 23:9-32

9I am very upset about what the prophets are doing. My body is shaking. I move like a man who has become drunk, someone who has drunk too much wine. I am afraid because of the Lord and the holy message that he has spoken.

10The land is full of people who are not faithful to God. The prophets live wicked lives. They use their power in a bad way. Because of that, God has cursed the land. The land is as dry as a desert, and the fields have no grass.

11The Lord says, ‘The prophets and the priests are all wicked. I see the evil things that they do, even in my temple.

12Because of that, the paths that they travel on will be dark. They will easily slip and fall to the ground. I will cause terrible trouble to happen to them. I will decide the time when I will punish them.’ That is what the Lord says.

13‘I saw the disgusting thing that the prophets in Samaria did. They used the name of Baal to prophesy. Their messages deceived my people, Israel.

14But now some prophets in Jerusalem do even worse things! They are not faithful to their wives. They always deceive people. They encourage people to do evil things. They do not try to stop them. They are as bad as the people of Sodom long ago. The people of Jerusalem are as bad as the people of Gomorrah.

15So I, the Lord Almighty, say this about these prophets: I will cause them to have much pain and trouble. They will eat bitter food. They will drink water that is poison. It is because of Jerusalem's prophets that people do wicked things everywhere in the land.’

16The Lord Almighty says to the people, ‘Do not listen to the messages that the prophets are telling you. They are only deceiving you. They speak about visions that are their own ideas. They do not speak a message that comes from the Lord himself.

17When people refuse to listen to me, the prophets still encourage them. They say to them, “The Lord will give you peace.” When people refuse to change their wicked way of life, the prophets tell them, “Nothing bad will happen to you.”

18But none of those prophets has met with the Lord. They have not seen him and they have not heard his voice. So none of them has ever listened to him to know what he is saying.

19But look! The Lord's anger will come like a strong storm. It will blow away the heads of those wicked people.

20The Lord will not stop being angry, until he has finished what he has decided to do. When the time comes, you will understand this clearly.

21I did not send those prophets. But they have still run to speak to you. I did not tell them what to say, but they have continued to prophesy.

22If they had really met with me, they would have spoken my message to my people. They would have caused my people to turn away from their wicked way of life. They would have stopped my people doing evil things.’

23The Lord says, ‘Am I a God in only one place? No! I see everything everywhere!

24Do you think you can hide in a place where I cannot see you? You should know that I am everywhere, in the heavens above and on the earth.’ That is what the Lord says.

25‘I have heard the lies that these prophets are saying. They say that they have messages from me. They say, “God has spoken to me in a dream!”

26But all their words are lies. Their messages are their own ideas. When will they stop deceiving people?

27They want to make my people forget who I am. They use their dreams to do this. They tell them to each other. They are as bad as their ancestors. They also forgot who I am when they worshipped the false god, Baal.

28If a prophet has a dream, he should say what it is. If a prophet receives a message from me, he should speak that message faithfully. But dreams are very different from my messages. Straw is not the same as wheat!

29A message from me is like a fire that burns things. It is like a hammer that breaks a rock into pieces.’ That is what the Lord says.

30‘I tell you that I am against those prophets! They say that they speak messages from me. But they are using each other's ideas.

31They say, “This message is from the Lord,” but it is their own words that they speak.

32Yes, I am against those who have dreams and use them to deceive people. They are using cruel lies to lead the people away from me. I did not send those prophets to speak on my behalf. They do nothing to help my people.’ That is what the Lord says.