New Living Translation
Jeremiah 29:23
23For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Jeremiah 29:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. I am the one who knows, and I am witness, declares the Lord.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)because they have done disgraceful things in Israel, have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My name, which I have not commanded them. Indeed I know, and am a witness, says the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 29:23
21This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes. 22Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.” 24The Lord sent this message to Shemaiah the Nehelamite in Babylon: 25“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: You wrote a letter on your own authority to Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, the priest, and you sent copies to the other priests and people in Jerusalem. You wrote to Zephaniah,
Read all of Jeremiah 29Jeremiah 29:23 word by word
יַ֡עַן אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשׂ֨וּ נְבָלָ֜ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיְנַֽאֲפוּ֙ אֶת־נְשֵׁ֣י רֵֽעֵיהֶ֔ם וַיְדַבְּר֨וּ דָבָ֤ר בִּשְׁמִי֙ שֶׁ֔קֶר אֲשֶׁ֖ר ל֣וֹא צִוִּיתִ֑ם וְאָנֹכִ֛י הַיּוֹדֵ֥עַ וָעֵ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Because they have committedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- villanyנְבָלָהnebâlâh · follyH5039
- in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- adulteryנָאַףnâ'aph · to commit adulteryH5003
- with their neighbours’רֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and have spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- lyingשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
- wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- in my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- which I have not commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- them; even I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- a witnessעֵד‛êd · witnessH5707
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 29:23
- Jeremiah 7:9Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,
- Jeremiah 23:14But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.”
- Psalms 50:16But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant?
- Zephaniah 3:4Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.
- 2 Peter 2:10He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling.
- Jude 1:8In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.
- Jeremiah 29:8This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams,
- Jeremiah 13:27I have seen your adultery and lust, and your disgusting idol worship out in the fields and on the hills. What sorrow awaits you, Jerusalem! How long before you are pure?”
- Jeremiah 16:17I am watching them closely, and I see every sin. They cannot hope to hide from me.
- Jeremiah 23:23Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the Lord. “No, I am far away at the same time.
- Proverbs 5:21For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.
- Malachi 2:14You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.
- Malachi 3:5“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
- Revelation 1:5and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.
- Revelation 3:14“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
Commentaries on Jeremiah 29:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives - This is supposed to refer to the case of Susanna. See above.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Villany - Elsewhere folly, in the sense of lewdness Judges 20:6, unchastity.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-32Verses 20-32 Jeremiah foretells judgments upon the false prophets, who deceived the Jews in Babylon. Lying was bad; lying to the people of the Lord, to delude them into a false hope, was worse; but pretending to rest their own lies upon the God of truth, was worst of all. They flattered others in their sins, because they could not reprove them without condemning themselves. The most secret sins are known to God; and there is a day coming when he will…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Jeremiah sent a letter to the Hebrew exiles in Babylon. People read his letter many times in different settlements to reach all the scattered Israelites.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. villainy--literally, "sinful folly" (Is 32:6).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 29:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 29
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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