⁶ Their visions are false^(A) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent^(B) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.^(C)

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies^(A) in my name. I have not sent^(B) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,^(C) divinations,^(D) idolatries^[a] and the delusions of their own minds.

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 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. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^(A) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^{(B) 4} They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^(C)

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(A) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(B) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(C) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(D) 11} For this reason God sends them^(E) a powerful delusion^(F) so that they will believe the lie^(G)

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)

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light^(A) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(B) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(C) 21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.