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14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

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14 Then we will no longer be infants,(A) tossed back and forth by the waves,(B) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(C)

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So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

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Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.(A) It is good for our hearts to be strengthened(B) by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods,(C) which is of no benefit to those who do so.(D)

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Paul’s Final Instructions

17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.

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17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.(A) Keep away from them.(B) 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,(C) but their own appetites.(D) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive(E) the minds of naive people.

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20 Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.

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20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.(A) In regard to evil be infants,(B) but in your thinking be adults.

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Discerning False Prophets

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.

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On Denying the Incarnation

Dear friends,(A) do not believe every spirit,(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.(C)

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12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.[a] You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:12 Or about the oracles of God.

12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths(A) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!(B) 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,(C) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature,(D) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(E)

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17 You see, we are not like the many hucksters[a] who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:17 Some manuscripts read the rest of the hucksters.

17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.(A) On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity,(B) as those sent from God.(C)

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But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

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But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,(A) because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

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I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

Freedom from Rules and New Life in Christ

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers[a] of this world, rather than from Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:8 Or the spiritual principles; also in 2:20.

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.(A) For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit(B) and delight to see how disciplined(C) you are and how firm(D) your faith in Christ(E) is.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,(F) continue to live your lives in him, rooted(G) and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,(H) and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,(I) which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world(J) rather than on Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:8 Or the basic principles; also in verse 20

11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

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11 Put on the full armor of God,(A) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

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The Danger of False Teachers

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.

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False Teachers and Their Destruction

But there were also false prophets(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord(C) who bought them(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed(F) these teachers will exploit you(G) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

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A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters,[a] Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:6 Greek brothers.

If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith(A) and of the good teaching that you have followed.(B) Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;(C) rather, train yourself to be godly.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 4:6 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.

24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.

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

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