14 that we should no longer be (A)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of (B)deceitful plotting,

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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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Do not be carried [a]about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:9 NU, M away

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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Avoid Divisive Persons

17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those (A)who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and (B)avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord [a]Jesus Christ, but (C)their own belly, and (D)by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:18 NU, M omit Jesus

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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Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

20 Brethren, (A)do not be children in understanding; however, in malice (B)be babes, but in understanding be mature.

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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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(A)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven 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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17 For we are not, as [a]so many, (A)peddling[b] the word of God; but as (B)of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:17 M the rest
  2. 2 Corinthians 2:17 adulterating for gain

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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Love for God and One Another

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but (A)test the spirits, whether they are of God; because (B)many false prophets have gone out into 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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Spiritual Immaturity

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the [a]oracles of God; and you have come to need (A)milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is (B)a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are [b]of full age, that is, those who by reason of [c]use have their senses exercised (C)to discern both good and evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:12 sayings, Scriptures
  2. Hebrews 5:14 mature
  3. Hebrews 5:14 practice

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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Destructive Doctrines

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be (A)false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction [a]does not slumber.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:3 M will not

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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Now this I say (A)lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For (B)though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing [a]to see (C)your good order and the (D)steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

(E)As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (F)rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding [b]in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone [c]cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to (G)the tradition of men, according to the (H)basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:5 Lit. and seeing
  2. Colossians 2:7 NU omits in it
  3. Colossians 2:8 Lit. plunder you or take you captive

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 (A)Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [a]wiles of the devil.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:11 schemings

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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A Good Servant of Jesus Christ

If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, (A)nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But (B)reject profane and old wives’ fables, and (C)exercise yourself toward godliness.

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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.

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

12 These are [a]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried [b]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

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Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:12 stains, or hidden reefs
  2. Jude 1:12 NU, M along

12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts,(A) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.(B) They are clouds without rain,(C) blown along by the wind;(D) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted(E)—twice dead.

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