Let no onekeep defrauding you of your prizeby delightingin self-abasementand the worshipof the angels,taking his standon [visions] he has seen,inflatedwithout causeby his fleshlymind,
Then the LORDGodsaidto the woman,"Whatis thisyou have done?"And the womansaid,"The serpentdeceivedme, and I ate."
"Whois thisthat darkenscounselBy wordswithoutknowledge?
"You have journeyedto the kingwith oilAnd increasedyour perfumes;You have sentyour envoysa great distanceAnd made [them] godownto Sheol.
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Woeto the foolishprophetswhoare followingtheir own spiritand have seennothing.
"But insteadhe will honora godof fortresses,a godwhomhis fathersdid not know;he will honor[him] with gold,silver,costlystonesand treasures.
for they have beenhostileto you with their tricks,with whichthey have deceivedyou in the affairof Peorand in the affairof Cozbi,the daughterof the leaderof Midian,their sisterwho was slainon the dayof the plaguebecauseof Peor."
"For false Christsand false prophetswill ariseand will showgreatsignsand wonders,soas to mislead,ifpossible,eventhe elect.
For they exchangedthe truthof Godfor a lie,and worshipedand servedthe creaturerather thanthe Creator,whois blessedforever.Amen.
For such menare slaves,not of our LordChristbut of their ownappetites;and by their smoothand flattering speechthey deceivethe heartsof the unsuspecting.
Loveis patient,loveis kind[and] is not jealous;lovedoes not brag[and] is not arrogant,
for you are stillfleshly.For sincethere is jealousyand strifeamongyou, are you not fleshly,and are you not walkinglikemere men?
Nowsomehave become arrogant,as thoughI were not comingto you.
Nowthese things,brethren,I have figuratively appliedto myselfand Apollosfor your sakes,sothat in us you may learnnot to exceedwhatis written,sothat nooneof you will become arrogantin behalfof oneagainstthe other.
Nowconcerningthings sacrificed to idols,we knowthat we allhaveknowledge.Knowledgemakes arrogant,but loveedifies.
Do you not knowthat thosewho runin a raceallrun,but [only] onereceivesthe prize?Runin such a waythat you may win.
But I am afraidthat, as the serpentdeceivedEveby his craftiness,your mindswill be led astrayfrom the simplicityand purity[of devotion] to Christ.
For I am afraidthat perhapswhen I comeI may findyou to be not whatI wishand may be foundby you to be not whatyou wish;that perhaps[there will be] strife,jealousy,angry tempers,disputes,slanders,gossip,arrogance,disturbances;
SothisI say,and affirmtogetherwith the Lord,that you walkno longerjustas the Gentilesalsowalk,in the futilityof their mind,
Let no onedeceiveyou with emptywords,for becauseof these thingsthe wrathof Godcomesupon the sonsof disobedience.
"The secretthingsbelong to the LORDour God,but the thingsrevealedbelong to us and to our sonsforever,that we may observeallthe wordsof thislaw.
I presson towardthe goalfor the prizeof the upwardcallof Godin ChristJesus.
Theseare matterswhichhave,to be sure,the appearanceof wisdomin self-made religionand self-abasementand severe treatmentof the body,[but are] of novalueagainstfleshlyindulgence.
I saythissothat no onewill deludeyou with persuasive argument.
Seeto it that noonetakes you captivethroughphilosophyand emptydeception,accordingto the traditionof men,accordingto the elementary principlesof the world,ratherthanaccordingto Christ.
wantingto be teachers of the Law,even though they do not understandeitherwhatthey are sayingorthe matters aboutwhichthey make confident assertions.
But the Spiritexplicitlysaysthat in latertimessomewill fall awayfrom the faith,paying attentionto deceitfulspiritsand doctrinesof demons,
havingeyesfullof adulterythat never ceasefrom sin,enticingunstablesouls,havinga hearttrainedin greed,accursedchildren;
These thingsI have writtento you concerningthosewho are trying to deceiveyou.
And the greatdragonwas throwndown, the serpentof oldwho is calledthe deviland Satan,who deceivesthe wholeworld;he was throwndown to the earth,and his angelswere throwndown with him.
And he deceivesthosewho dwellon the earthbecauseof the signswhichit was givenhim to performin the presenceof the beast,tellingthosewho dwellon the earthto makean imageto the beastwhohadthe woundof the swordand has come to life.
Allwho dwellon the earthwill worshiphim, [everyone] whosenamehas not been writtenfrom the foundationof the worldin the bookof lifeof the Lambwho has been slain.
ThenI fellat his feetto worshiphim. But he saidto me, "Do not dothat; I ama fellow servantof yoursand your brethrenwho holdthe testimonyof Jesus;worshipGod.For the testimonyof Jesusis the spiritof prophecy."
I am comingquickly;hold fastwhatyou have,sothat no onewill takeyour crown.
