^2 (A)“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but ^(B)have tested those ^(C)who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

Test the Spirits

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

False Prophets and Teachers

2 But ^(A)false prophets also arose among the people, ^(B)just as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^(C)secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^(D)who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth ^(E)will be blasphemed. ³ And ^(F)in their greed they will exploit you ^(G)with false words. ^(H)Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

²¹ but ^(A)test everything; hold fast what is good.

⁸ “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you ^(A)an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

¹³ For such men are ^(A)false apostles, ^(B)deceitful workmen, ^(C)disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as ^(D)an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as ^(E)servants of righteousness. ^(F)Their end will correspond to their deeds.

^7 (A)not that there is another one, but ^(B)there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. ^(A)Would that you were either cold or hot!

²¹ I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²² Who is the liar but ^(A)he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is ^(B)the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.