⁴⁹ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.^(A)

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,^(A) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(A) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^(B)

⁵ This is what the Lord says:

⁷ It was given power to wage war^(A) against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.^(B)

¹² These people are blemishes at your love feasts,^(A) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.^(B) They are clouds without rain,^(C) blown along by the wind;^(D) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted^(E)—twice dead.

⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. ¹⁰ So when I come,^(A) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.^(B) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.^(C)

¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.^(A) They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.^{[a](B) 14} With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce^(C) the unstable;^(D) they are experts in greed^(E)—an accursed brood!^(F)