Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

¹⁸ The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord:^(A) ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying^(B) to him.)

²² “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.

“‘I will go out and be a deceiving^(A) spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’

²³ “So now the Lord has put a deceiving^(B) spirit in the mouths of all these prophets^(C) of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster^(D) for you.”

³¹ “Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah^(A) the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send^(B) him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies,

² Azariah son of Hoshaiah^(A) and Johanan^(B) son of Kareah and all the arrogant^(C) men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying!^(D) The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’^(E)

⁹ My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying^(A) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records^(B) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(C)

¹⁹ No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.^(A)