16For this is what you yourselves requested of the L ord your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai. You said, ‘Don’t let us hear the voice of the L ord our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die.’ 17“Then the Lord said to me, ‘What they have said is right. 18I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. 19I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf. 20But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’ 21“But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ 22If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.
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