Contradiction with Ezekiel 13:3
Ezekiel rebukes the prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing, echoing Jeremiah 23:16's warning against listening to false prophets, making them seem contradictory.
Ezekiel 13:3: Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! [follow: Heb. walk after] [and...: or, and things which they have not seen]
Contradiction with 1 John 4:1
This verse advises testing the spirits to see if they are from God, which could contradict Jeremiah 23:16 by suggesting believers should seek discernment instead of outright rejecting certain voices.
1 John 4:1: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Contradiction with Matthew 7:15
Jesus warns against false prophets, which seems to support Jeremiah 23:16's caution, yet it also implies that discernment is needed, not just rejection.
Matthew 7:15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Contradiction with Romans 16:17
Paul urges believers to avoid divisions and those who cause offenses contrary to the doctrine, which could contradict Jeremiah 23:16 by emphasizing unity over division that might come from rejecting prophetic voices.
Romans 16:17: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Contradiction with 2 Peter 2:1
Peter warns about false teachers who bring destructive heresies, which parallels Jeremiah 23:16 but also implies that believers should detect heresies themselves, not just dismiss all prophetic utterances.
2 Peter 2:1: But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Paradox #1
The verse warns against listening to false prophets who deceive people with their own imaginations. A potential theological conflict might arise if these false prophets claim to be inspired by the same God of Israel, leading individuals to question which messages are truly from God and which are not. This could create confusion about discerning genuine divine guidance versus human deception.
Paradox #2
Jeremiah 23:16 warns against listening to false prophets who speak visions from their own minds rather than from God. A possible contradiction might arise with verses that speak about trusting spiritual leaders or prophets, such as in 2 Chronicles 20:20, which encourages belief in prophets. The conflict is between discerning true prophets from false ones and the guidance to trust prophets unconditionally.
Paradox #3
The contradiction or conflict could arise from Jeremiah 23:16 warning people not to listen to false prophets, whereas later texts in the Bible discuss listening to prophets. This could create confusion about discerning true prophets from false ones.
Paradox #4
Jeremiah 23:16 warns against listening to false prophets. The contradiction or conflict arises if one considers how to discern true guidance from false, which could lead to doubt and confusion about what is genuine divine instruction versus human deception. If both claim divine inspiration, distinguishing between them might be challenging, potentially causing a moral dilemma for believers.