Deuteronomy 18:11-21

11 or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead. 1
12 The Lord your God hates people who do these disgusting things, and that is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance.
13 Be completely faithful to the Lord." 2
14 Then Moses said, "In the land you are about to occupy, people follow the advice of those who practice divination and look for omens, but the Lord your God does not allow you to do this.
15 Instead, he will send you a prophet like me from among your own people, and you are to obey him. 3
16 "On the day that you were gathered at Mount Sinai, you begged not to hear the Lord speak again or to see his fiery presence any more, because you were afraid you would die.
17 So the Lord said to me, "They have made a wise request.
18 I will send them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will tell him what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command.
19 He will speak in my name, and I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him. 4
20 But if any prophet dares to speak a message in my name when I did not command him to do so, he must die for it, and so must any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods.'
21 "You may wonder how you can tell when a prophet's message does not come from the Lord.

Cross References 4

  • 1. 18.11Leviticus 19.31.
  • 2. 18.13Matthew 5.48.
  • 3. 18.15Acts 3.22; 7.37.
  • 4. 18.19Acts 3.23.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. a prophet . . . him; [or] prophets . . . them.
  • [b]. a prophet . . . him . . . he; [or] prophets . . . them . . . they.
  • [c]. He will speak . . . and I; [or] When a prophet speaks in my name, I.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.