And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. {Perverse...: or, Gallings one of another}

Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Whose end {is} destruction, whose God {is their} belly, and {whose} glory {is} in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling {words}, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

For when they speak great swelling {words} of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, {through much} wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. {clean: or, for a little, or, a while, as some read}

For such {are} false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. {set...: Heb. lift up their soul to}

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, {and} their fields to them that shall inherit {them}: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

But shun profane {and} vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

His watchmen {are} blind: they are all ignorant, they {are} all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. {sleeping: or, dreaming, or, talking in their sleep}

Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

A prudent {man} foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds {they are} without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if {it were} possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear {your} lies?

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous {are they}, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. {government: or, dominion}

Now the sons of Eli {were} sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

{To wit}, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and {there is} no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver {it} into the king's hand.

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. {corrupt: or, deal deceitfully with} {in Christ: or, of Christ}

Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded {in my} habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, {and} in the fifth month, {that} Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which {was} of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. {dishonesty: Gr. shame}

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets {declare} good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good. {with...: Heb. with one mouth}

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will {my} Father honour.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

The law of the LORD {is} perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD {is} sure, making wise the simple. {law: or, doctrine} {converting: or, restoring}

They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. {imagination: or, stubbornness}

Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all {men}. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. {simple: or, harmless}

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified {it} by his angel unto his servant John:

Who {is there} even among you that would shut the doors {for nought}? neither do ye kindle {fire} on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, {and} called:

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent {man} looketh well to his going.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Whose end {is} destruction, whose God {is their} belly, and {whose} glory {is} in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. {harmless: or, simple}

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: {with} flattering lips {and} with a double heart do they speak. {a double...: Heb. an heart and an heart}

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe {be} to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: {adultery: Gr. an adulteress}

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

One of themselves, {even} a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians {are} alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

He that goeth about {as} a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. {flattereth: or, enticeth}

They zealously affect you, {but} not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. {exclude you: or, exclude us}

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

For such {are} false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. {reprobate: or, of no judgment}

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The horseleach hath two daughters, {crying}, Give, give. There are three {things that} are never satisfied, {yea}, four {things} say not, {It is} enough: {It is...: Heb. Wealth}

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know {these things} before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent {man} looketh well to his going.

He said unto him, I {am} a prophet also as thou {art}; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. {But} he lied unto him.

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, {saying}, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people. {walking...: or, walk with the wind, and lie falsely}

Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, {the youths: Heb. the sons}

To have respect of persons {is} not good: for for a piece of bread {that} man will transgress.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that {be} in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear {your} lies?

They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. {set...: Heb. lift up their soul to}

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called {to be} an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

And my speech and my preaching {was} not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: {enticing: or, persuasible}

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, {and} called:

For he that in these things serveth Christ {is} acceptable to God, and approved of men.

For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God {is} witness:

But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, {beguile...: or, judge against you} {in a...: Gr. being a voluntary in humility}

And shall begin to smite {his} fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

And Ephraim {is as} an heifer {that is} taught, {and} loveth to tread out {the corn}; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, {and} Jacob shall break his clods. {her...: Heb. the beauty of her neck}

And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, {and} they rebel against me.

And so thou shalt do the seventh {day} of the month for every one that erreth, and for {him that is} simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, {that were} called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.

And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; {given...: or, ready to quarrel, and offer wrong, as one in wine}

Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded {in my} habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?