New English Translation
Deuteronomy 18:22
22whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”
Deuteronomy 18:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
- New International Version (NIV)If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
Context of Deuteronomy 18:22
20“But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. 21Now if you say to yourselves, ‘How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’ – whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.”
Read all of Deuteronomy 18Deuteronomy 18:22 word by word
אֲשֶׁר֩ יְדַבֵּ֨ר הַנָּבִ֜יא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ וְלֹ֣א יָב֔וֹא ה֣וּא הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־דִבְּר֖וֹ יְהוָ֑ה בְּזָדוֹן֙ דִּבְּר֣וֹ הַנָּבִ֔יא לֹ֥א תָג֖וּר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When a prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- speakethדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- in the nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- if the thingדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- follow not, nor come to passבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- it presumptuouslyזָדוֹןzâdôn · arroganceH2087
- thou shalt not be afraidגּוּרgûr · to dreadH1481
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 18:22
- Isaiah 41:22“Let them produce evidence! Let them tell us what will happen! Tell us about your earlier predictive oracles, so we may examine them and see how they were fulfilled. Or decree for us some future events!
- Jeremiah 28:1The following events occurred in that same year, early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. To be more precise, it was the fifth month of the fourth year of his reign. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the Lord’s temple in the presence of the priests and all the people.
- Deuteronomy 13:2and the sign or wonder should come to pass concerning what he said to you, namely, “Let us follow other gods” – gods whom you have not previously known – “and let us serve them.”
- 2 Kings 20:1In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and told him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Give your household instructions, for you are about to die; you will not get well.’”
- Jonah 3:4When Jonah began to enter the city one day’s walk, he announced, “At the end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
- Jonah 4:2He prayed to the Lord and said, “Oh, Lord, this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish! – because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.
- Zechariah 1:5“As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever?
- Deuteronomy 18:20“But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.
- Jeremiah 28:15Then the prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you! You are making these people trust in a lie!
- Proverbs 26:2Like a fluttering bird or like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause does not come to rest.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 18:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22If the thing follow not - It is worthy of remark that the prophets in general predicted those things which were shortly to come to pass, that the people might have the fullest proof of their Divine mission, and of the existence of God's providence in the administration of the affairs of men. The promise contained in the Deuteronomy 18:15; and Deuteronomy 18:18; verses of this chapter has long been considered of the first importance in the controversies…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Any prophet whose prediction does not come true must be identified as false, even if that person says he speaks for God. A claim alone is not enough. If the message does not happen as promised, the prophet is not from God.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 18:22
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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