13 ^[a]“If prophets or those who divine by dreams appear among you and show you omens or portents,^(A)

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

⁹ You, therefore, must not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers,^[a] your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.”^(A)

²⁵ I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed! I have dreamed!”^{(A) 26} How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? ²⁷ They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal.^{(B) 28} Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord.^(C)

Testing the Spirits

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

False Prophets and Their Punishment

2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.^(A)

²⁶ “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.^(A)

²² False messiahs^[a] and false prophets will appear and produce signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.^(A)

²⁴ For false messiahs^[a] and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.^(A)

¹¹ And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.^(A)