¹⁷ I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.^(A) Keep away from them.^(B)

⁹ Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ^(A) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.^{(B) 10} If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.^{(C) 11} Anyone who welcomes them shares^(D) in their wicked work.

Warning Against Idolatry

¹⁴ Do not be yoked together^(A) with unbelievers.^(B) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?^{(C) 15} What harmony is there between Christ and Belial^[a]?^(D) Or what does a believer^(E) have in common with an unbeliever?^{(F) 16} What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?^(G) For we are the temple^(H) of the living God.^(I) As God has said:

¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,^(A) but rather expose them.

¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^(A) and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,^(B) and they destroy the faith of some.^(C)

4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead,^(A) and in view of his appearing^(B) and his kingdom, I give you this charge:^{(C) 2} Preach^(D) the word;^(E) be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke^(F) and encourage^(G)—with great patience and careful instruction. ³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.^(H) Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.^{(I) 4} They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.^(J)