³² (and the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets,

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge;^{(A) 20} for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.”^(B)

Testing the Spirits

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.^(A)

²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. ³⁰ If someone sitting receives a revelation, let the first person be silent.

⁵ The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent.”^(A)

³ The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.”^(A)

¹⁹ Saul was told, “David is at Naioth in Ramah.” ²⁰ Then Saul sent messengers to take David. When they saw the company of the prophets in a frenzy, with Samuel standing in charge of^[a] them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also fell into a prophetic frenzy.^{(A) 21} When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also fell into a frenzy. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also fell into a frenzy. ²² Then he himself went to Ramah. He came to the great well that is in Secu; he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And someone said, “They are at Naioth in Ramah.” ²³ He went there, toward Naioth in Ramah, and the spirit of God came upon him. As he was going, he fell into a prophetic frenzy, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.^{(B) 24} He, too, stripped off his clothes, and he, too, fell into a frenzy before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

¹⁰ When they were going from there to Gibeah,^[a] a band of prophets met him, and the spirit of God possessed him, and he fell into a prophetic frenzy along with them.^{(A) 11} When all who knew him before saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”^{(B) 12} A man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” ¹³ When his prophetic frenzy had ended, he went home.^[b]