True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(A) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^{(B) 16} By their fruit you will recognize them.^(C) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(D) 17} Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.^{(E) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(F) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(G) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(H) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(I) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(J) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(K) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(L)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(M)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(N) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

⁴⁴ You belong to your father, the devil,^(A) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.^(B) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^(C)

³ And even if our gospel^(A) is veiled,^(B) it is veiled to those who are perishing.^{(C) 4} The god^(D) of this age^(E) has blinded^(F) the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ,^(G) who is the image of God.^(H)

¹² And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(A) deceitful^(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(C) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(E)

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.