Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of Elohim, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
“For thus said יהוה of hosts, Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Let not your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, neither listen to the dreams which you are dreaming.
So do not listen to your prophets, or to your diviners, or to your dreamers, or to your observers of clouds, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “Do not serve the sovereign of Baḇel.”
And he said to him, “I too am a prophet like you, and a messenger spoke to me by the word of יהוה, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, and let him eat bread and drink water.’ ” But he lied to him.
“For false messiahs and false prophets shall arise, and they shall show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.
“And it shall be in that day that the prophets shall be ashamed, everyone of his vision when he prophesies, and not put a hairy robe on in order to deceive,
For the household idols spoke emptiness, the diviners saw falsehood, and relate dreams of deceit, they comfort in vain. Therefore they have wandered about like sheep. They are afflicted, for there is no shepherd.
“Therefore you shall no longer see false visions, nor practise divination. And I shall deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”
But there also came to be false prophets among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, and deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other mighty ones, even that prophet shall die.’
“See, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares יהוה, “and relate them, and lead My people astray by their falsehoods and by their reckless boasting. But I Myself did not send them nor have I commanded them. And they do not profit this people at all,” declares יהוה.
“יהוה has made you priest instead of Yehoyaḏa the priest, so that there are overseers in the House of יהוה over everyone who is mad and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in the iron collar.
“And now, O Yisra’ĕl, listen to the laws and the right-rulings which I am teaching you to do, so that you live, and shall go in and possess the land which יהוה Elohim of your fathers is giving you.