Deuteronomy 18

1 The priests, who are Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, will have no portion nor inheritance with Israel; they must eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire as their inheritance.

The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire and his portion.

2 They must have no inheritance among their brothers; Yahweh is their inheritance, as he said to them.

They shall have no inheritance amongst their brothers. The LORD is their inheritance, as he has spoken to them.

3 This is the share given to the priests, given to them from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether it be an oxen or a sheep: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts.

This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give to the priest: the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the inner parts.

4 The firstfruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you must give him.

You shall give him the first fruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep.

5 For Yahweh your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to serve in the name of Yahweh, him and his sons forever.

For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the LORD’s name, him and his sons forever.

6 If a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel from where he is living, and desires with all his soul to come to the place Yahweh will choose,

If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel where he lives, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which the LORD shall choose,

7 then he must serve in the name of Yahweh his God as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before Yahweh.

then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brothers the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD.

8 They must have similar portions to eat, besides of what comes of the sale of his family's inheritance.

They shall have like portions to eat, in addition to that which comes from the sale of his family possessions.

9 When you have come into the land that Yahweh your God is giving you, you must not learn to observe the abominations of those nations.

When you have come into the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations.

10 There must not be found among you anyone who sacrifices his son or his daughter in the fire, anyone who uses divination or tells fortunes, or reads signs found in a cup, or engages in witchcraft,

There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,

11 any charmer, anyone who conjurs up spirits, or one who casts spells, or who talks with spirits of the dead.

or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

12 For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh; it is because of these abominations that Yahweh your God is driving them out from before you.

For whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. Because of these abominations, the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

13 You must be blameless before Yahweh your God.

You shall be blameless with the LORD your God.

14 For these nations that you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and divination; but as for you, Yahweh your God has not allowed you to do so.

For these nations that you shall dispossess listen to those who practise sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you so to do.

15 Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet from among you, one of your brothers, like me. You must listen to him.

The LORD your God will raise up to you a prophet from amongst you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him.

16 This is what you asked from Yahweh your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let us not hear again the voice of Yahweh our God, nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.'

This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the LORD my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”

17 Yahweh said to me, 'What they have said is good.

The LORD said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken.

18 I will raise up a prophet for them from among their brothers, just like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them all that I command him.

I will raise them up a prophet from amongst their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.

19 It will happen that if anyone does not listen to the words of mine that he speaks in my name, I will require it of him.

It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

20 But the prophet who speaks a word arrogantly in my name, a word that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that very prophet must die.'

But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”

21 This is what you must say in your heart: 'How will we recognize a message that Yahweh has not spoken?'

You may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?”

22 You will recognize a message that Yahweh has spoken when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh. If that thing does not occur nor happen, then that is something that Yahweh has not spoken and the prophet has spoken it arrogantly, and you must not be afraid of him.

When a prophet speaks in the LORD’s name, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him.