¹³ And I saw three foul spirits like frogs coming from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet.^{(A) 14} These are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.^(B)

Testing the Spirits

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.^(A)

¹³ suffering^[a] the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures^[b] while they feast with you.^{(A) 14} They have eyes full of adultery,^[c] insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! ¹⁵ They have left the straight road and have gone astray, following the road of Balaam son of Bosor,^[d] who loved the wages of doing wrong^{(B) 16} but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

¹⁷ These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm; for them the deepest darkness has been reserved.^{(C) 18} For they speak bombastic nonsense, and with debased^[e] desires of the flesh they entice people who have just^[f] escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for people are slaves to whatever masters them.^(D)

False Prophets and Their Punishment

2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.^{(A) 2} Even so, many will follow their debaucheries, and because of these teachers^[a] the way of truth will be maligned. ³ And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle, and their destruction is not asleep.^(B)

⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus^[a] will destroy^[b] with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming.^{(A) 9} The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders,^{(B) 10} and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(C) 11} For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false,^(D)

¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.^(A)