Testing the Spirits

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world.

⁷ For many deceivers [heretics, posing as Christians] have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge and confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh (bodily form). This [person, the kind who does this] is the deceiver and the ^[a]antichrist [that is, the antagonist of Christ]. ⁸ Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have accomplished together, but that you may receive a full and perfect reward [when He grants rewards to faithful believers]. ⁹ Anyone who runs on ahead and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ [that is, one who is not content with what He taught], does not have God; but the one who continues to remain in the teaching [of Christ does have God], he has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [but diminishes or adds to the doctrine of Christ], do not receive or welcome him into your house, and do not give him a greeting or any encouragement; ¹¹ for the one who gives him a greeting [who encourages him or wishes him success, unwittingly] participates in his evil deeds.

¹⁷ For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God?

The Tongue Is a Fire

3 Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will ^[a]be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you strays from the truth and falls into error and [another] one turns him back [to God], ²⁰ let the [latter] one know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and cover a multitude of sins [that is, obtain the pardon of the many sins committed by the one who has been restored].

²⁸ Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood. ²⁹ I know that after I am gone, [false teachers like] ferocious wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ even from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse and distorted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves [as their followers]. ³¹ Therefore be continually alert, remembering that for three years, night or day, I did not stop admonishing and advising each one [of you] with tears.

¹³ For such men are counterfeit apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no great surprise if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, but their end will correspond with their deeds.

Perversion of the Gospel

⁶ I am astonished and extremely irritated that you are so quickly shifting your allegiance and deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different [even contrary] gospel; ⁷ which is really not another [gospel]; but there are [obviously] ^[a]some [people masquerading as teachers] who are disturbing and confusing you [with a misleading, counterfeit teaching] and want to distort the gospel of Christ [twisting it into something which it absolutely is not]. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we [originally] preached to you, let him be condemned to destruction! ⁹ As we have said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from that which you received [from us], let him be condemned to destruction!

¹⁰ Am I now ^[b]trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

⁴ My concern was because of the ^[a]false brothers [those people masquerading as Christians] who had been secretly smuggled in [to the community of believers]. They had slipped in to spy on the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us back into bondage [under the Law of Moses]. ⁵ But we did not yield to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would continue to remain with you [in its purity].

¹⁷ I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep your eyes on those who cause dissensions and create obstacles or introduce temptations [for others] to commit sin, [acting in ways] contrary to the doctrine which you have learned. Turn away from them. ¹⁸ For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites and base desires. By smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting [the innocent and the naive]. ¹⁹ For the report of your obedience has reached everyone, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.