¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility^(A) and the worship of angels disqualify you.^(B) Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,^(A) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of this world^(B) rather than on Christ.

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(A) do not believe every spirit,^(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(C) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(D) is from God,^(E)

⁷ They want to be teachers^(A) of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.^(B)

²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility^(A) and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things.^(A) And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet^(B) of the angel who had been showing them to me. ⁹ But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll.^(C) Worship God!”^(D)

4 The Spirit^(A) clearly says that in later times^(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits^(C) and things taught by demons.

⁷ I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ^(A) as coming in the flesh,^(B) have gone out into the world.^(C) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.^{(D) 8} Watch out that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.^{(E) 9} Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ^(F) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.^{(G) 10} If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.^{(H) 11} Anyone who welcomes them shares^(I) in their wicked work.

¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^(A) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{(B) 15} Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^(C) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(D) 16} For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^(E) there you find disorder and every evil practice.