²⁰ But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,^(A) is to be put to death.”^(B)

⁹ My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying^(A) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records^(B) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(C)

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies^(A) in my name. I have not sent^(B) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,^(C) divinations,^(D) idolatries^[a] and the delusions of their own minds.

¹⁶ This is what the Lord Almighty says:

²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders^(A) to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^(A) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^{(B) 4} They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^(C)

²⁸ Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(A) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(B) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](C) which he bought^(D) with his own blood.^{[b](E) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(F) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(G) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(H) after them.

¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless^(A) and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience^(B) means salvation,^(C) just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.^{(D) 16} He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable^(E) people distort,^(F) as they do the other Scriptures,^(G) to their own destruction.

¹⁷ Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard^(H) so that you may not be carried away by the error^(I) of the lawless^(J) and fall from your secure position.^{(K) 18} But grow in the grace^(L) and knowledge^(M) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(N) To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.^(O)