¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,^(A) but their own appetites.^(B) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive^(C) the minds of naive people.

⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.^(A)

¹⁹ Their destiny^(A) is destruction, their god is their stomach,^(B) and their glory is in their shame.^(C) Their mind is set on earthly things.^(D)

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:

³ In their greed^(A) these teachers will exploit you^(B) with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth^(A) and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,^(A) boastful, proud,^(B) abusive,^(C) disobedient to their parents,^(D) ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous,^(E) rash, conceited,^(F) lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness^(G) but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.^(H)

⁶ They are the kind who worm their way^(I) into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,

¹⁶ These people are grumblers^(A) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;^(B) they boast^(C) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.