¹⁹ Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.^(A)

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they did not belong to us, for if they had belonged to us they would have remained^[a] with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us.^(A)

¹⁰ After a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes divisions,^(A)

³⁰ Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them.

Some Sayings of Jesus

17 Jesus^[a] said to his disciples, “Occasions for sin^[b] are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come!^(A)

³ you must not heed the words of those prophets or those who divine by dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you indeed love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.^(A)

⁷ Woe to the world because of things that cause sin!^[a] Such things are bound to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!^(A)

False Prophets and Their Punishment

2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.^{(A) 2} Even so, many will follow their debaucheries, and because of these teachers^[a] the way of truth will be maligned.

False Asceticism

4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later^[a] times some will renounce^[b] the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,^{(A) 2} through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions,