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)

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

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

¹⁹ It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions.

¹³ that scoundrels from among you have gone out and led the inhabitants of the town astray, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ whom you have not known,^(A)

⁶ It is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all those descended from Israel are Israelites,^(A)

²² False messiahs^[a] and false prophets will appear and produce signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.^(A)

¹³ The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away.

² who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood:

May grace and peace be yours in abundance.^(A)

A Living Hope

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead^{(B) 4} and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.^(C)

⁹ But they will not make much progress because, as in the case of those two men,^[a] their folly will become plain to everyone.