Matthew 7:15

The Sermon On The Mount: Recognizing False Prophets

¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. ¹⁵ “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Beware of False Prophets

False Prophets

Outward Appearance

Take Heed

1 John 4:1

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Colossians 2:8

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3

"If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,

Matthew 24:11

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

2 Peter 2:1-3

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

Luke 6:26

"Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Revelation 19:20

And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Isaiah 9:15-16

the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;

Jeremiah 14:14-16

And the LORD said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

Jeremiah 23:13-16

In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Jeremiah 28:15-17

And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.

Jeremiah 29:21

'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes.

Jeremiah 29:32

therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.'"

Ezekiel 13:16

the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 13:22

Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life,

Ezekiel 22:25

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

Ezekiel 22:27

Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain.

Micah 3:5-7

Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.

Micah 3:11

Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us."

Zephaniah 3:3-4

Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.

Zechariah 13:4

"On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive,

Matthew 10:17

Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,

Matthew 16:6

Jesus said to them, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Matthew 16:11

How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Matthew 24:4-5

And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.

Matthew 24:24-25

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Mark 12:38-40

And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces

Mark 13:22-23

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Luke 12:15

And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

John 10:12

He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

Acts 13:40

Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

Acts 20:29-31

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

Romans 16:17-18

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Galatians 2:4

Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in--who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery--

Ephesians 4:14

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Ephesians 5:6

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Philippians 3:2

Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

1 Timothy 4:1-3

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

2 Timothy 3:5-9

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

2 Timothy 3:13

while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Timothy 4:3

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

2 Peter 2:18-19

For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

2 Peter 3:17

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.

Jude 1:4

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 13:11-17

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.

Revelation 16:13

And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.

Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

Isaiah 56:10-11

His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Acts 13:6

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.