God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 18:20
20But any prophet who dares to say something in my name that I didn’t command him to say or who speaks in the name of other gods must die.”
Deuteronomy 18:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
- New International Version (NIV)But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’
Context of Deuteronomy 18:20
18So I will send them a prophet, an Israelite like you. I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19Whoever refuses to listen to the words that prophet speaks in my name will answer to me. But any prophet who dares to say something in my name that I didn’t command him to say or who speaks in the name of other gods must die.” 21You may be wondering, “How can we recognize that the Lord didn’t speak this message?” 22If a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name and what he says doesn’t happen or come true, then it didn’t come from the Lord. That prophet has spoken on his own authority. Never be afraid of him.
Read all of Deuteronomy 18Deuteronomy 18:20 word by word
אַ֣ךְ הַנָּבִ֡יא אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָזִיד֩ לְדַבֵּ֨ר דָּבָ֜ר בִּשְׁמִ֗י אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־צִוִּיתִיו֙ לְדַבֵּ֔ר וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְדַבֵּ֔ר בְּשֵׁ֖ם אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וּמֵ֖ת הַנָּבִ֥יא הַהֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- which shall presumeזִידzûd zîyd · to boilH2102
- to speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- in my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- which I have not commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- of otherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
- godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- shall dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 18:20
- Deuteronomy 13:1One of your people, claiming to be a prophet or to have prophetic dreams, may predict a miraculous sign or an amazing thing.
- Jeremiah 14:14Then the Lord told me, “These are the lies that the prophets are telling in my name: They claim that I sent them, commanded them, and spoke to them. They dreamed up the visions they tell you. Their predictions are worthless. They are the products of their own imagination.
- Jeremiah 23:13“⌞Say this⌟ about the prophets of Samaria: I saw something disgusting. The prophets of Samaria prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
- Jeremiah 27:15I didn’t send them, declares the Lord. They prophesy lies in my name. So I will scatter you, and you and the prophets will die.”
- Ezekiel 13:6These foolish prophets see false visions, and their predictions don’t come true. They say, “The Lord said this.” But the Lord hasn’t sent them. Then they hope that their message will come true.
- Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep, but in their hearts they are vicious wolves.
- 2 Peter 2:12These false teachers insult what they don’t understand. They are like animals, which are creatures of instinct that are born to be caught and killed. So they will be destroyed like animals
- 1 Kings 18:19Order all Israel to gather around me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
- Jeremiah 2:8The priests didn’t ask, “Where is the Lord?” Those who deal with my teachings didn’t know me. The rulers rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal and followed statues that couldn’t help them.
- Jeremiah 28:15Then Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Now listen, Hananiah, the Lord hasn’t sent you. You have made these people believe a lie.
- Zechariah 13:3“If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will say, ‘You don’t deserve to live because you speak lies in the name of the Lord.’ Then his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will stab him when he prophesies.
- Revelation 19:20The beast and the false prophet who had done miracles for the beast were captured. By these miracles the false prophet had deceived those who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Compare the marginal references.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 It is here promised concerning Christ, that there should come a Prophet, great above all the prophets; by whom God would make known himself and his will to the children of men, more fully and clearly than he had ever done before. He is the Light of the world, Joh 8:12. He is the World by whom God speaks to us, Joh 1:1; He 1:2. In his birth he should be one of their nation. In his resurrection he should be raised up at Jerusalem, and from…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 18:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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