Remember when Flows with Water (Theudas) made himself out to be a great one, with a following of four hundred men? He was killed, and all his followers were scattered and came to nothing.
These people keep grumbling and complaining, even as they try to satisfy all of their own broken desires. They speak big, boastful words and use flattery to get what they want from others.
As for those leaders who are supposed to hold such a high reputation, their reputation means nothing to me, for the Great Spirit does not judge by outward appearance. Those leaders did not add one thing to the good story that I tell.
“You speak the language of the Wisdom Seekers (Greeks),” he replied. “Then you are not the man from Black Land (Egypt) who some time ago caused an uprising and took four thousand assassins out into the desert wilderness.”
for false Chosen Ones will rise up and false prophets will appear. They will provide great signs and omens to mislead the people. Even Creator’s Chosen Ones will be tempted to believe them.
The spirit-messenger carried me away in the spirit to a desert wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a wild beast that was red in color. The wild beast had seven heads with ten horns and was filled with names that spoke evil against the Great Spirit.
With empty boasts and puffed-up words, they prey on people’s weak human desires and lure them back into the wrong ways of those they have just escaped from.
So if they say, ‘The Chosen One is in the desert wilderness,’ do not go with them there. Or if they say, ‘The Chosen One is hidden in a secret place,’ do not believe them.