The headis the elderand honorableman, And the prophetwho teachesfalsehoodis the tail.
"For false Christsand false prophetswill ariseand will showgreatsignsand wonders,soas to mislead,ifpossible,eventhe elect.
For the LORDhas pouredoveryou a spiritof deepsleep,He has shutyour eyes,the prophets;And He has coveredyour heads,the seers.
"For handfulsof barleyand fragmentsof bread,you have profanedMe to My peopleto putto deathsomewhoshould not dieand to keepothersalivewhoshould not live,by your lyingto My peoplewho listento lies."'"
He saidto him, "Beholdnow,there is a manof Godin thiscity,and the manis heldin honor;allthat he sayssurelycomestrue. Nowlet us gothere,perhapshe can tellus about our journeyon whichwe have setout."
And the beastwas seized,and with him the false prophetwho performedthe signsin his presence,by whichhe deceivedthosewho had receivedthe markof the beastand thosewho worshipedhis image;thesetwowere thrownaliveinto the lakeof firewhich burnswith brimstone.
Beloved,do not believeeveryspirit,but testthe spiritsto see whetherthey are from God,becausemanyfalse prophetshave goneout into the world.
"Bewareof the false prophets,whocometo you in sheep'sclothing,but inwardlyare ravenouswolves.
"So I alsohave madeyou despisedand abasedbefore allthe people,justas you are not keepingMy waysbut are showingpartialityin the instruction.
Ephraim[was] a watchmanwith my God,a prophet;[Yet] the snareof a birdcatcheris in allhis ways,[And] there is [only] hostilityin the houseof his God.
"Becauseyou disheartenedthe righteouswith falsehoodwhen I did not causehim grief,but have encouragedthe wickednot to turnfrom his wickedway[and] preservehis life,
As for the prophets:My heartis brokenwithinme, Allmy bonestremble;I have becomelike a drunkenman,Even like a manovercomewith wine,Becauseof the LORDAnd becauseof His holywords.
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"I will makejusticethe measuringlineAnd righteousnessthe level;Then hailwill sweepawaythe refugeof liesAnd the waterswill overflowthe secretplace.
ThereforeMy peoplegointo exilefor their lackof knowledge;And their honorablemenare famished,And their multitudeis parchedwith thirst.
And the peoplewill be oppressed,Eachoneby another,and eachoneby his neighbor;The youthwill stormagainst the elderAnd the inferioragainst the honorable.
He saidto him, "I alsoam a prophetlikeyou, and an angelspoketo me by the wordof the LORD,saying,'Bringhim backwith you to your house,that he may eatbreadand drinkwater.'"[But] he liedto him.
"But the earthbelongs to the mightyman,And the honorableman dwellsin it.
There will be noworkfor EgyptWhich[its] heador tail,[its] palmbranchor bulrush,may do.
The LORDof hostshas plannedit, to defilethe prideof allbeauty,To despiseallthe honoredof the earth.
And thesealsoreelwith wineand staggerfrom strongdrink:The priestand the prophetreelwith strongdrink,They are confusedby wine,they staggerfrom strongdrink;They reelwhile having visions,They totter[when rendering] judgment.
Becauseyou have said,"We have madea covenantwith death,And with Sheolwe have madea pact.The overwhelmingscourgewill not reachus whenit passesby, For we have madefalsehoodour refugeand we have concealedourselves with deception."
"Your firstforefathersinned,And your spokesmenhave transgressedagainst Me.
For your handsare defiledwith bloodAnd your fingerswith iniquity;Your lipshave spokenfalsehood,Your tonguemutterswickedness.
Noonesuesrighteouslyand noonepleadshonestly.They trustin confusionand speaklies;They conceivemischiefand bringforthiniquity.
"Behold,I am againstthose who have prophesiedfalse~dreams,"declaresthe LORD,"and relatedthem and ledMy peopleastrayby their falsehoodsand recklessboasting;yet I did not sendthem or commandthem, nordo they furnishthispeoplethe slightestbenefit,"declaresthe LORD.
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Judahand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey rejectedthe lawof the LORDAnd have not keptHis statutes;Their liesalso have ledthem astray,Those afterwhichtheir fatherswalked.
Thussaysthe LORDconcerningthe prophetswho leadmy peopleastray;When they have [something] to bitewith their teeth,They cry,"Peace,"But againsthim whoputsnothingin their mouthsThey declareholywar.
O My people!Their oppressorsare children,And womenruleover them. O My people!Those who guideyou lead[you] astrayAnd confusethe directionof your paths.
Your prophetshave seenfor you false and foolish[visions]; And they have not exposedyour iniquitySo as to restoreyou from captivity,But they have seenfor you false and misleadingoracles.
