New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
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The Lord spoke to me.
2 "Human, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Say to those who make up their own prophecies: 'Listen to the word of the Lord.
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"Mortal man," he said, "denounce the prophets of Israel who make up their own prophecies. Tell them to listen to the word of the Lord."
3 This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for the foolish prophets who follow their own ideas and have not seen a vision from me!
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This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "These foolish prophets are doomed! They provide their own inspiration and invent their own visions.
4 People of Israel, your prophets have been like wild dogs hunting to kill and eat among ruins.
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People of Israel, your prophets are as useless as foxes living among the ruins of a city.
5 Israel is like a house in ruins, but you have not gone up into the broken places or repaired the wall. So how can Israel hold back the enemy in the battle on the Lord's day of judging?
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They don't guard the places where the walls have crumbled, nor do they rebuild the walls, and so Israel cannot be defended when war comes on the day of the Lord.
6 Your prophets see false visions and prophesy lies. They say, "This is the message of the Lord," when the Lord has not sent them. But they still hope their words will come true.
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Their visions are false, and their predictions are lies. They claim that they are speaking my message, but I have not sent them. Yet they expect their words to come true!
7 You said, "This is the message of the Lord," but that is a false vision. Your prophecies are lies, because I have not spoken.
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I tell them: Those visions you see are false, and the predictions you make are lies. You say that they are my words, but I haven't spoken to you!"
8 "'So this is what the Lord God says: Because you prophets spoke things that are false and saw visions that do not come true, I am against you, says the Lord God.
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So the Sovereign Lord says to them, "Your words are false, and your visions are lies. I am against you.
9 I will punish the prophets who see false visions and prophesy lies. They will have no place among my people. Their names will not be written on the list of the people of Israel, and they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.
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I am about to punish you prophets who have false visions and make misleading predictions. You will not be there when my people gather to make decisions; your names will not be included in the list of the citizens of Israel; you will never return to your land. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
10 "'It is because they lead my people the wrong way by saying, "Peace!" when there is no peace. When the people build a weak wall, the prophets cover it with whitewash to make it look strong.
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"The prophets mislead my people by saying that all is well. All is certainly not well! My people have put up a wall of loose stones, and then the prophets have come and covered it with whitewash.
11 So tell those who cover a weak wall with whitewash that it will fall down. Rain will pour down, hailstones will fall, and a stormy wind will break the wall down.
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Tell the prophets that their wall is going to fall down. I will send a pouring rain. Hailstones will fall on it, and a strong wind will blow against it.
12 When the wall has fallen, people will ask you, "Where is the whitewash you used on the wall?"
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The wall will collapse, and everyone will ask you what good the whitewash did."
13 "'So this is what the Lord God says: I will break the wall with a stormy wind. In my anger rain will pour down, and hailstones will destroy the wall.
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Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "In my anger I will send a strong wind, pouring rain, and hailstones to destroy the wall.
14 I will tear down the wall on which you put whitewash. I will level it to the ground so that people will see the wall's foundation. And when the wall falls, you will be destroyed under it. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
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I intend to break down the wall they whitewashed, to shatter it, and to leave the foundation stones bare. It will collapse and kill you all. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord.
15 So I will carry out my anger on the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. Then I will tell you, "The wall is gone, and those who covered it with whitewash are gone.
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"The wall and those who covered it with whitewash will feel the force of my anger. Then I will tell you that the wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it -
16 The prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and who see visions of peace for the city, when there is no peace, will be gone, says the Lord God."'
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those prophets who assured Jerusalem that all was well, when all was not well!" The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
17 "Now, human, look toward the women among your people who make up their own prophecies. Prophesy against them.
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The Lord said, "Now, mortal man, look at the women among your people who make up predictions. Denounce them
18 Say, 'This is what the Lord God says: How terrible it will be for women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils of every length to trap people! You ruin the lives of my people but try to save your own lives.
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and tell them what the Sovereign Lord is saying to them: "You women are doomed! You sew magic wristbands for everyone and make magic scarves for everyone to wear on their heads, so that they can have power over other people's lives. You want to possess the power of life and death over my people and to use it for your own benefit.
19 For handfuls of barley and pieces of bread, you have dishonored me among my people. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed people who should not die, and you have kept alive those who should not live.
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You dishonor me in front of my people in order to get a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who don't deserve to die, and you keep people alive who don't deserve to live. So you tell lies to my people, and they believe you."
20 "'So this is what the Lord God says: I am against your magic charms, by which you trap people as if they were birds. I will tear those charms off your arms, and I will free those people you have trapped like birds.
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Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "I hate the wristbands that you use in your attempt to control life and death. I will rip them off your arms and set free the people that you were controlling.
21 I will also tear off your veils and save my people from your hands. They will no longer be trapped by your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
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I will rip off your scarves and let my people escape from your power once and for all. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
22 By your lies you have caused those who did right to be sad, when I did not make them sad. And you have encouraged the wicked not to stop being wicked, which would have saved their lives.
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"By your lies you discourage good people, whom I do not wish to hurt. You prevent evil people from giving up evil and saving their lives.
23 So you will not see false visions or prophesy anymore, and I will save my people from your power so you will know that I am the Lord.'"
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So now your false visions and misleading predictions are over. I am rescuing my people from your power, so that you will know that I am the Lord."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.