Final Instructions and Greetings

¹⁷ I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles ^(A)contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; ^(B)avoid them.

¹⁹ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, ^(A)devoid of the Spirit.

³ If anyone ^(A)teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with ^(B)the sound^[a] words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching ^(C)that accords with godliness, ^4 (D)he is puffed up with conceit and ^(E)understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for ^(F)controversy and for ^(G)quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people ^(H)who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, ^(I)imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ Now we command you, brothers, ^(A)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(B)that you keep away from any ^(C)brother ^(D)who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(A)denying its power. ^(B)Avoid such people.

⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive by ^(A)philosophy and ^(B)empty deceit, according to ^(C)human tradition, according to the ^(D)elemental spirits^[a] of the world, and not according to Christ.

⁷ For ^(A)many deceivers ^(B)have gone out into the world, ^(C)those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves, ^(D)so that you may not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but ^(E)may win a full reward. ⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, ^(F)does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching ^(G)has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^(H)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, ¹¹ for whoever greets him ^(I)takes part in his wicked works.

¹⁰ As for a person who stirs up division, ^(A)after warning him once and then twice, ^(B)have nothing more to do with him,

^4 (A)Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who ^(B)slipped in to spy out ^(C)our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, ^(D)so that they might bring us into slavery—