But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in {Or, sects of perdition}destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of.
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.
For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but {Or, cast them into dungeons}cast them down to {Greek: Tartarus.}hell, and committed them to {Some ancient authorities read chains. Compare Wisd. 17:17.}pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
and spared not the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, {Greek: a herald.}a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly;
and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked
(for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, {Greek: tormented.}vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds):
the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment;
but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at {Greek: glories.}dignities:
whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord.
But these, as creatures without reason, born {Greek: natural.}mere animals {Or, to take and to destroy}to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their {Or, corruption Compare 1 Timothy 6:9.}destroying surely be destroyed,
suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their {Some ancient authorities read love-feasts. Compare Jude 12.}deceivings while they feast with you;
having eyes full of {Greek: an adulteress.}adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing;
forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of {Many ancient authorities read Bosor.}Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;
but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.
These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved.
For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;
promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of {Or, what}whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of {Many ancient authorities read our.}the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first.
For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, {Proverbs 26:11.}The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.
Querverweise zu 2. Petrus 2,1 2Pet 2,1
If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder,
and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Do ye thus requite Jehovah,O foolish people and unwise?Is not he thy father that hath {Or, possessed Or, gotten}bought thee?He hath made thee, and established thee.
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table.
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.
{Or, but it was because of}and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, {Greek: heresies.}parties,
but he that denieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in the presence of the angels of God.
Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you {Or, overseers}bishops, to feed the church of {Some ancient authorities, including the two oldest manuscripts read God.}the Lord which he {Greek: acquired.}purchased with his own blood.
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sojourner from his right, and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
A factious man after a first and second admonition {Or, avoid}refuse;
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his {Or, Child See Matthew 12:18; Isaiah 42:1; 52:13; 53:11.}Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.
for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.
whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect.
But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you,
Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men.
The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them.
if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, {Deuteronomy 21:23.}Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock;
if we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself.
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, {Or, one and all}from every quarter.
and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old {Or, set forth}written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying {Or, the only Master, and our Lord Jesus Christ}our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified {Greek: a common thing.}an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you {Hebrew: peace of truth.}assured peace in this place.
Then Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
For there must be also {Greek: heresies.}factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.
I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days {The Greek text here is somewhat uncertain.}of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth.
whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and {Greek: glorified.}full of glory:
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.
It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
I know thy works (behold, I have {Greek: given}set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name.
And they sing a new song, saying,Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,
They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you.
They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?
that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal.
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah.
Is not my word like fire? saith Jehovah; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that {Hebrew: take.}use their tongues, and say, He saith.
Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith Jehovah, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, saith Jehovah.
that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
And hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you.
{Or, See whether}Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
For I have not sent them, saith Jehovah, but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that ye may perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.
Let no man rob you of your prize {Or, of his own mere will, by humility &c.}by a voluntary humility and {The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to a creature, or to the Creator.}worshipping of the angels, {Or, taking his stand upon}dwelling in the things which he hath {Many authorities, some ancient, insert not.}seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Jehovah hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will send thee away from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast spoken rebellion against Jehovah.
So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of {Many ancient authorities read lawlessness.}sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or {Greek: an object of worship. Acts 17:23.}that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the {Or, sanctuary}temple of God, setting himself forth as God.
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: {Or, only until he that now restraineth be taken &c.}only there is one that restraineth now, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord {Some ancient authorities omit Jesus.}Jesus shall {Some ancient authorities read consume.}slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his {Greek: presence.}coming;
even he, whose {Greek: presence.}coming is according to the working of Satan with all {Greek: power and signs and wonders of falsehood.}power and signs and lying wonders,
and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that {Or, are perishing}perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye {Or, dream}cause to be dreamed.
But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, {Or, seared}branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron;
forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth.
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith Jehovah.
But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.
For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts,
ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.
But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith Jehovah concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he hath caused you to trust in a lie;
For the time will come when they will not endure the {Greek: healthful.}sound {Or, teaching}doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;
therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do unto my people, saith Jehovah, because he hath spoken rebellion against Jehovah.
whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Where now are your prophets that prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
Thy prophets have seen for thee false and foolish visions;And they have not uncovered thine iniquity, to bring back thy captivity,But have seen for thee false {Hebrew: burdens.}oracles and {Or, things to draw thee aside}causes of banishment.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest {Or, that not all are of us}that they all are not of us.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, {Or, and things which they have not seen}and have seen nothing!
O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.
Ye have not gone up into the {Or, breaches}gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Jehovah.
They have seen falsehood and lying divination, that say, Jehovah saith; but Jehovah hath not sent them: and they {Or, have hoped}have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.
Have ye not seen a false vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, in that ye say, Jehovah saith; albeit I have not spoken?
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because ye have spoken falsehood, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord Jehovah.
And my hand shall be against the prophets that see false visions, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the {Or, secret}council of my people, neither shall they be written in the {Or, register}writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord Jehovah.
Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one buildeth up {Or, a slight wall}a wall, behold, they daub it with {Or, whitewash So in verse 11, 14, 15.}untempered mortar:
say unto them that daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my wrath; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.
So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be uncovered; and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar; and I will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
to wit, the prophets of Israel that prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and that see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord Jehovah.
And thou, son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, that prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the women that sew pillows upon all {Hebrew: joints of the hands.}elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! {Or, Ye hunt…and ye save &c.}Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive {Or, that are yours}for yourselves?
These things have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray.
Ephraim {Or, watcheth against}was a watchman with my God: as for the prophet, a fowler's snare is in all his ways, and enmity in the house of his God.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
If a man walking {Or, in wind and falsehood}in a spirit of falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
that they said to you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after {Greek: their own lusts of ungodlinesses.}their own ungodly lusts.
Thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that make my people to err; that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and whoso putteth not into their mouths, they even {Hebrew: sanctify.}prepare war against him:
I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the {Or, reviling}blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.
And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived.
And it shall come to pass that, when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of Jehovah; and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he prophesieth; neither shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.