⁸ He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’^[a] and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them.

Discerning False Prophets

4 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.

³ Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed—the one who brings destruction.^[b]

⁶ Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.

⁵ Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, ⁶ for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’^[a] They will deceive many.

²¹ “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. ²³ Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.

⁴ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, ⁵ for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.

¹³ But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.