⁴ I say this in order ^(A)that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, ^(A)tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in ^(B)deceitful schemes.

⁷ For ^(A)many deceivers ^(B)have gone out into the world, ^(C)those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Test the Spirits

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

¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ^(A)their own appetites,^[a] and ^(B)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. ¹⁹ For ^(C)your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you ^(D)to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

^22 (A)For false christs and false prophets will arise and ^(B)perform signs and wonders, ^(C)to lead astray, if possible, ^(D)the elect.

⁴ And Jesus answered them, ^(A)“See that no one leads you astray.

⁸ and will come out ^(A)to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, ^(B)Gog and Magog, ^(C)to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.

¹⁰ For there are many who are insubordinate, ^(A)empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of ^(B)the circumcision party.^{[a] 11} They must be silenced, since ^(C)they are upsetting whole families by teaching ^(D)for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.