The prophet who has a dream may report his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word truthfully. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the Lord.
Parallel translations
- WEB The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says Yahweh.
- KJV The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
- BSB Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD.
- NKJV “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.
- NLT “Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The prophet with a mere dream may tell it as a dream, but the one who has God's word must speak it faithfully. God contrasts the two as worthless straw versus nourishing wheat.
Overview
God distinguishes between human dreams and His authoritative word, calling for faithful speech rather than fabrication. The straw-and-wheat image shows the difference in substance: false words are empty chaff, while God's word is the true grain that feeds. Faithful proclamation of God's word, not invented messages, remains the standard for every preacher.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Tim 1:12And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;
- 2 Cor 2:17For we are not as so many, peddling the word of God. But as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.
- 1 Cor 3:12–13But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble;
- Luke 12:42The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times?
- Prov 14:5A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
- Matt 24:45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
- 1 Cor 4:2Here, moreover, it is required of stewards, that they be found faithful.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 23:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.