by meansof the hypocrisyof liarssearedin their ownconscienceas with a branding iron,
He saidto him, "I alsoam a prophetlikeyou, and an angelspoketo me by the wordof the LORD,saying,'Bringhim backwith you to your house,that he may eatbreadand drinkwater.'"[But] he liedto him.
"The LORDsaidto him, 'How?'And he said,'I will goout and be a deceivingspiritin the mouthof allhis prophets.'Then He said,'You are to entice[him] and alsoprevail.Goand doso.'
The headis the elderand honorableman, And the prophetwho teachesfalsehoodis the tail.
"Also among the prophetsof JerusalemI have seena horriblething:The committingof adulteryand walkingin falsehood;And they strengthenthe handsof evildoers,So that noonehas turnedbackfrom his wickedness.Allof them have becometo Me like Sodom,And her inhabitantslike Gomorrah.
"Howlong?Is there[anything] in the heartsof the prophetswho prophesyfalsehood,even [these] prophetsof the deceptionof their own heart,
"Behold,I am againstthose who have prophesiedfalse~dreams,"declaresthe LORD,"and relatedthem and ledMy peopleastrayby their falsehoodsand recklessboasting;yet I did not sendthem or commandthem, nordo they furnishthispeoplethe slightestbenefit,"declaresthe LORD.
Nowhearthis,O foolishand senselesspeople,Who have eyesbut do not see;Who have earsbut do not hear.
"For false Christsand false prophetswill ariseand will showgreatsignsand wonders,soas to mislead,ifpossible,eventhe elect.
"Bewareof the false prophets,whocometo you in sheep'sclothing,but inwardlyare ravenouswolves.
and from amongyour own selvesmenwill arise,speakingperverse things,to draw awaythe disciplesafterthem.
And justas they did not see fitto acknowledgeGodany longer, Godgave them overto a depravedmind,to dothosethings which are not proper,
For such menare slaves,not of our LordChristbut of their ownappetites;and by their smoothand flattering speechthey deceivethe heartsof the unsuspecting.
As a result,we are no longerto be children,tossed here and there by wavesand carried aboutby everywindof doctrine,by the trickeryof men,by craftinessin deceitfulscheming;
and they, having become callous,have giventhemselvesoverto sensualityfor the practiceof every kindof impuritywith greediness.
holdingto a formof godliness,although they have deniedits power;Avoidsuch men as these.
for they are spiritsof demons,performingsigns,whichgoout to the kingsof the wholeworld,to gather them togetherfor the warof the greatdayof God,the Almighty.
