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

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)

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

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

³ 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.

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)

⁷ 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)

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.

4 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. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.^(D)