¹⁷ Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.^(A)

¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(A) deceitful^(B) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(C) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(D) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(E)

¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,^(A) but their own appetites.^(B) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive^(C) the minds of naive people.

³ In their greed^(A) these teachers will exploit you^(B) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

⁸ Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!^(A) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you!

² For I can testify about them that they are zealous^(A) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

¹⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert,^(A) and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell^(B) as you are.

¹⁸ For they mouth empty, boastful words^(A) and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping^(B) from those who live in error.

²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests,^(A) not those of Jesus Christ.

¹² Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh^(A) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.^(B) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted^(C) for the cross of Christ. ¹³ Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,^(D) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.^(E)