^2 (A)“I know your works, your labor, your ^[a]patience, and that you cannot ^[b]bear those who are evil. And ^(B)you have tested those ^(C)who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

Love for God and One Another

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but ^(A)test the spirits, whether they are of God; because ^(B)many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Destructive Doctrines

2 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be ^(A)false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction ^[a]does not slumber.

^21 (A)Test all things; ^(B)hold fast what is good.

^15 (A)“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.

^8 (A)“I know your works. See, I have set before you ^(B)an open door, ^[a]and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

The Dead Church

3 “And to the ^[a]angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who ^(A)has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

^22 (A)Who is a liar but he who denies that ^(B)Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

¹³ For such ^(A)are false apostles, ^(B)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into ^(C)an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, ^(D)whose end will be according to their works.