¹² I plead with you, brothers and sisters,^(A) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. ¹³ As you know, it was because of an illness^(B) that I first preached the gospel to you, ¹⁴ and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.^{(C) 15} Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?^(D)

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.^{(E) 18} It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.^{(F) 19} My dear children,^(G) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,^{(H) 20} how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power,^(A) but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.^{(B) 17} He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”^{[a](C) 18} We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.^(D)

¹⁹ We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,^(E) and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light^(F) shining in a dark place, until the day dawns^(G) and the morning star^(H) rises in your hearts.^{(I) 20} Above all, you must understand^(J) that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God^(K) as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.^(L)

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(M) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(N) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(O) who bought them^(P)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(Q) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed^(R) these teachers will exploit you^(S) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

On Denying the Incarnation

4 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) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(D) is from God,^{(E) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(G)

⁴ You, dear children,^(H) are from God and have overcome them,^(I) because the one who is in you^(J) is greater than the one who is in the world.^{(K) 5} They are from the world^(L) and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.^(M) This is how we recognize the Spirit^[a] of truth^(N) and the spirit of falsehood.^(O)