¹ Beloved, every spirit believe not, but prove the spirits, if of God they are, because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;

¹ And there did come also false prophets among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers, who shall bring in besides destructive sects, and the Master who bought them denying, bringing to themselves quick destruction,

¹⁸ Little youths, it is the last hour; and even as ye heard that the antichrist doth come, even now antichrists have become many -- whence we know that it is the last hour;

²¹ all things prove; that which is good hold fast;

⁵⁷ `And why, also, of yourselves, judge ye not what is righteous?

¹ And the Spirit expressly speaketh, that in latter times shall certain fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons,

⁷ because many leading astray did enter into the world, who are not confessing Jesus Christ coming in flesh; this one is he who is leading astray, and the antichrist.

²⁹ And prophets -- let two or three speak, and let the others discern,

¹⁰ and to another in-workings of mighty deeds; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; and to another `divers' kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues:

¹¹ and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those things were so;

² I have known thy works, and thy labour, and thy endurance, and that thou art not able to bear evil ones, and that thou hast tried those saying themselves to be apostles and are not, and hast found them liars,

¹³ and evil men and impostors shall advance to the worse, leading astray and being led astray.

¹⁸ for such our Lord Jesus Christ do not serve, but their own belly; and through the good word and fair speech they deceive the hearts of the harmless,

¹⁹ for your obedience did reach to all; I rejoice, therefore, as regards you, and I wish you to be wise, indeed, as to the good, and harmless as to the evil;

¹⁵ The simple giveth credence to everything, And the prudent attendeth to his step.

³¹ The prophets have prophesied falsely, And the priests bear rule by their means, And My people have loved `it' so, And what do they at its latter end?

⁸ `For thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Let not your prophets who `are' in your midst, and your diviners, lift you up, nor hearken ye unto their dreams, thay ye are causing `them' to dream;

⁹ For with falsehood they are prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, an affirmation of Jehovah.

¹⁵ `But, take heed of the false prophets, who come unto you in sheep's clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves.

¹⁶ From their fruits ye shall know them; do `men' gather from thorns grapes? or from thistles figs?

⁴ And Jesus answering said to them, `Take heed that no one may lead you astray,

⁵ for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they shall lead many astray,

²³ `Then if any one may say to you, Lo, here `is' the Christ! or here! ye may not believe;

²⁴ for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.

²⁵ Lo, I did tell you beforehand.

²⁶ `If therefore they may say to you, Lo, in the wilderness he is, ye may not go forth; lo, in the inner chambers, ye may not believe;

²¹ `And then, if any may say to you, Lo, here `is' the Christ, or, Lo, there, ye may not believe;

⁸ And he said, `See -- ye may not be led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying -- I am `he', and the time hath come nigh; go not on then after them;

²⁹ for I have known this, that there shall enter in, after my departing, grievous wolves unto you, not sparing the flock,

¹ `When there ariseth in your midst a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, and he hath given unto thee a sign or wonder,

² and the sign and the wonder hath come which he hath spoken of unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (which thou hast not known), and serve them,

³ thou dost not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of the dream, for Jehovah your God is trying you, to know whether ye are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul;

⁴ after Jehovah your God ye walk, and Him ye fear, and His commands ye keep, and to His voice ye hearken, and Him ye serve, and to Him ye cleave.

⁵ `And that prophet, or that dreamer of the dream, is put to death, for he hath spoken apostacy against Jehovah your God (who is bringing you out of the land of Egypt, and hath ransomed you out of a house of servants), to drive you out of the way in which Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee to walk, and thou hast put away the evil thing from thy midst.