¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

¹⁵ Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God^(A). He stood before him and said, “Now I know^(B) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift^(C) from your servant.”

¹⁶ The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.^(D)

⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”^(A)

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;^(A) blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”^(B)

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!^{(A) 21} You have no part or share^(B) in this ministry, because your heart is not right^(C) before God. ²² Repent^(D) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(C) who bought them^(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed^(F) these teachers will exploit you^(G) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,^(A) the lust of the eyes,^(B) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.