Jeremiah 23

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD.	1 "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" says the LORD.
2 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.	2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD.
3 I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply.	3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
4 I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD.	4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, says the LORD.
5 Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.	5 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name they give him: "The LORD our justice."	6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'
7 Therefore, the days will come, says the LORD, when they shall no longer say, "As the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt";	7 "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when men shall no longer say, 'As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,'
8 but rather, "As the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north"--and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own land.	8 but 'As the LORD lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.' Then they shall dwell in their own land."
9 Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken, my bones all tremble; I am like a man who is drunk, overcome by wine, Because of the LORD, because of his holy words.	9 Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and because of his holy words.
10 With adulterers the land is filled; on their account the land mourns, the pasture ranges are seared. Theirs is an evil course, theirs is unjust power.	10 For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right.
11 Both prophet and priest are godless! In my very house I find their wickedness, says the LORD.	11 "Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their wickedness, says the LORD.
12 Hence their way shall become for them slippery ground. In the darkness they shall lose their footing, and fall headlong; Evil I will bring upon them: the year of their punishment, says the LORD.	12 Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall; for I will bring evil upon them in the year of their punishment, says the LORD.
13 Among Samaria's prophets I saw unseemly deeds: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.	13 In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
14 But among Jerusalem's prophets I saw deeds still more shocking: Adultery, living in lies, siding with the wicked, so that no one turns from evil; To me they are all like Sodom, its citizens like Gomorrah.	14 But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah."
15 Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts against the prophets: Behold, I will give them wormwood to eat, and poison to drink; For from Jerusalem's prophets ungodliness has gone forth into the whole land.	15 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: "Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and give them poisoned water to drink; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone forth into all the land."
16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Listen not to the words of your prophets, who fill you with emptiness; Visions of their own fancy they speak, not from the mouth of the LORD.	16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes; they speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
17 They say to those who despise the word of the LORD, "Peace shall be yours"; And to everyone who walks in hardness of heart, "No evil shall overtake you."	17 They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, 'It shall be well with you'; and to every one who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, 'No evil shall come upon you.'"
18 Now, who has stood in the council of the LORD, to see him and to hear his word? Who has heeded his word, so as to announce it?	18 For who among them has stood in the council of the LORD to perceive and to hear his word, or who has given heed to his word and listened?
19 See, the storm of the LORD! His wrath breaks forth In a whirling storm that bursts upon the heads of the wicked.	19 Behold, the storm of the LORD! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the LORD shall not abate until he has done and fulfilled what he has determined in his heart. When the time comes, you shall fully understand.	20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his mind. In the latter days you will understand it clearly.
21 I did not send these prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.	21 "I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.
22 Had they stood in my council, and did they but proclaim to my people my words, They would have brought them back from evil ways and from their wicked deeds.	22 But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
23 Am I a God near at hand only, says the LORD, and not a God far off?	23 "Am I a God at hand, says the LORD, and not a God afar off?
24 Can a man hide in secret without my seeing him? says the LORD. Do I not fill both heaven and earth? says the LORD.	24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD.
25 I have heard the prophets who prophesy lies in my name say, "I had a dream! I had a dream!"	25 I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed!'
26 How long will this continue? Is my name in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies and their own deceitful fancies?	26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,
27 By their dreams which they recount to each other, they think to make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name for Baal.	27 who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams which they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal?
28 Let the prophet who has a dream recount his dream; let him who has my word speak my word truthfully! What has straw to do with the wheat? says the LORD.	28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the LORD.
29 Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, like a hammer shattering rocks?	29 Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who steal my words from each other.	30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who steal my words from one another.
31 Yes, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who borrow speeches to pronounce oracles.	31 Behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who use their tongues and say, 'Says the LORD.'
32 Yes, I am against the prophets who prophesy lying dreams, says the LORD, and who lead my people astray by recounting their lies and by their empty boasting. From me they have no mission or command, and they do this people no good at all, says the LORD.	32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them; so they do not profit this people at all, says the LORD.
33 And when this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, "What is the burden of the LORD?" you shall answer, "You are the burden, and I cast you off, says the LORD."	33 "When one of this people, or a prophet, or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of the LORD?' you shall say to them, 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off, says the LORD.'
34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else mentions "the burden of the LORD," I will punish that man and his house.	34 And as for the prophet, priest, or one of the people who says, 'The burden of the LORD,' I will punish that man and his household.
35 Thus you shall ask, when speaking to one another, "What answer did the LORD give?" or, "What did the LORD say?"	35 Thus shall you say, every one to his neighbor and every one to his brother, 'What has the LORD answered?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?'
36 But the burden of the LORD you shall mention no more. For each man his own word becomes the burden so that you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.	36 But 'the burden of the LORD' you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man's own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.
37 Thus shall you ask the prophet, "What answer did the LORD give?" or, "What did the LORD say?"	37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, 'What has the LORD answered you?' or 'What has the LORD spoken?'
38 But if you ask about "the burden of the LORD," then thus says the LORD: Because you use this phrase, "the burden of the LORD," though I forbade you to use it,	38 But if you say, 'The burden of the LORD,' thus says the LORD, 'Because you have said these words, "The burden of the LORD," when I sent to you, saying, "You shall not say, 'The burden of the LORD,"
39 therefore I will lift you on high and cast you from my presence, you and the city which I gave to you and your fathers.	39 therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city which I gave to you and your fathers.
40 And I will bring upon you eternal reproach, eternal, unforgettable shame.	40 And I will bring upon you everlasting reproach and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.'"