Deuteronomy 18:15-22

Moses speaks about a future prophet

15 One day, the Lord your God will send to you a prophet like me. He will come from among your own people. You must listen to him. 16 Remember what happened when you all met together at Sinai mountain. You said to the Lord your God, ‘Please do not let us hear your voice again. Do not let us see this great fire again. If we do, we will die!’

17 Then the Lord said to me, ‘The people have said the right thing. 18 I will send them a prophet who will be like you. He will be an Israelite. I will tell him what to say. Then he will tell the people everything that I command him to say. 19 He will speak on my behalf, so I myself will punish anyone who does not listen to his message.

20 A false prophet may say that he speaks with my authority when that is not true. Or he may say that he has a message from another god. You must punish a false prophet with death.’

21 You may say to yourselves, ‘How can we know when a message has not come from the Lord?’ 22 A prophet may say that he speaks with my authority, and he may say what will happen. But if it does not happen, you will know that his message has not come from me. He has not spoken my message. That prophet has spoken his own ideas. So do not be afraid of him!