Deuteronomy 18:20
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
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.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
22 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.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”
- 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.
- WEB
- But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”
- ASV
- But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.
- DARBY
- But the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
- BLB
- 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—indeed that prophet must be put to death.
- ÅB
- Men den profet som i overmot drister seg til å tale noe i mitt navn som jeg ikke har befalt ham å tale, eller som taler i andre guders navn, den profet skal dø.
- OTB
- Men en profet som våger å tale i mitt navn noe jeg ikke har befalt, eller som taler i andre guders navn, den profeten skal dø."
- B1930
- Men den profet som i overmot drister sig til å tale noget i mitt navn som jeg ikke har befalt ham å tale, eller som taler i andre guders navn, den profet skal dø.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 13:1–5
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
Read in contextJeremiah 27:15
For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.
Read in contextJeremiah 23:31
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Read in contextZechariah 13:3
And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
Read in contextEzekiel 13:6
They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
Read in contextMatthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Read in contextJeremiah 28:15–17
Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
Read in contextJeremiah 23:13–15
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
Read in context