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. ³ In their greed^(F) these teachers will exploit you^(G) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman

33 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword^(A) against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,^{(B) 3} and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet^(C) to warn the people, ⁴ then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning^(D) and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.^{(E) 5} Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head.^(F) If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.^{(G) 6} But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’^(H)

⁷ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman^(I) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.^{(J) 8} When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,^(K)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for^[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(L) 9} But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,^(M) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.^(N)