13 “If a prophet or ^(A)a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,

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.

²⁵ I have heard what the prophets have said ^(A)who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ^(B)‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ ²⁶ How long shall there be lies in the heart of ^(C)the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, ²⁷ who think to make my people forget my name ^(D)by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their ^(E)fathers forgot my name for Baal? ^28 (F)Let the prophet who has a dream ^(G)tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. ^(H)What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord.

⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(A)Do not let your prophets and ^(B)your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,^[a]

⁹ So ^(A)do not listen to your ^(B)prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your ^(C)fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’

False Prophets and Teachers

2 But ^(A)false prophets also arose among the people, ^(B)just as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^(C)secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^(D)who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan ^(A)with all power and false signs and wonders,

²⁶ “Woe to you, ^(A)when all people speak well of you, for ^(B)so their fathers did to ^(C)the false prophets.