Add parallel Print Page Options

19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!

Read full chapter

19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.(A)

Read full chapter

19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

Read full chapter

19 They went out from us,(A) but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.(B)

Read full chapter

10 If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.

Read full chapter

10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.(A)

Read full chapter

30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

Read full chapter

30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(A) after them.

Read full chapter

Teachings about Forgiveness and Faith

17 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!

Read full chapter

Sin, Faith, Duty

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble(A) are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.(B)

Read full chapter

do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.

Read full chapter

you must not listen to the words of that prophet(A) or dreamer.(B) The Lord your God is testing(C) you to find out whether you love(D) him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Read full chapter

“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.

Read full chapter

Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!(A)

Read full chapter

The Danger of False Teachers

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.

Read full chapter

False Teachers and Their Destruction

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. Many will follow their depraved conduct(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

Read full chapter

Warnings against False Teachers

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 Greek are seared.

The Spirit(A) clearly says that in later times(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits(C) and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.(D)

Read full chapter

20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,

Read full chapter

20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

Read full chapter

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you[a]; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.

We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 13:5 Or in you.

Examine yourselves(A) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.(B) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you(C)—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.

Read full chapter

22 But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.”

Read full chapter

22 But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”(A)

Read full chapter

If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion.

Read full chapter

They have known me for a long time(A) and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect(B) of our religion, living as a Pharisee.(C)

Read full chapter