²⁶ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,

The Great Apostasy

4 Now the Spirit ^[a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed ^(A)to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ^2 (B)speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience ^(C)seared with a hot iron,

¹⁴ And the Lord said to me, ^(A)“The prophets prophesy lies in My name. ^(B)I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, ^[a]divination, a worthless thing, and the ^(C)deceit of their heart.

^13 (A)and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure ^(B)to ^[a]carouse in the daytime. ^(C)They are spots and blemishes, ^[b]carousing in their own deceptions while ^(D)they feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of ^[c]adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. ^(E)They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. ¹⁵ They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of ^(F)Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

^3 (A)For the time will come when they will not endure ^(B)sound doctrine, ^(C)but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is ^(A)according to the working of Satan, with all power, ^(B)signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among ^(C)those who perish, because they did not receive ^(D)the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And ^(E)for this reason God will send them strong delusion, ^(F)that they should believe the lie,

¹⁰ and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, ^(A)you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?