Matthew 7:15

The Sermon On The Mount: Recognizing False Prophets

¹⁴ How narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way that leads to life. Few are those who find it. ¹⁵ "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, 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, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Colossians 2:8

Be careful that you do not let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3

If there arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give you a sign or a wonder,

Matthew 24:11

Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.

2 Peter 2:1-3

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

Luke 6:26

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

Revelation 19:20

The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Isaiah 9:15-16

The elder and the honorable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail.

Jeremiah 14:14-16

Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I did not send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.

Jeremiah 23:13-16

"I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

Jeremiah 28:15-17

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Hear now, Hananiah: the LORD has not sent you; but you make this people to trust in a lie.

Jeremiah 29:21

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

Jeremiah 29:32

therefore," thus says the LORD, "Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he see the good that I will do to my people, says the LORD, because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD."'"

Ezekiel 13:16

to wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,'"' says the Lord GOD."

Ezekiel 13:22

Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive:

Ezekiel 22:25

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in its midst, like a roaring lion ravening the prey: they have devoured souls; they take treasure and precious things; they have made her widows many in its midst.

Ezekiel 22:27

Her officials in its midst are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

Micah 3:5-7

Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, "Peace." and whoever doesn't provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him:

Micah 3:11

Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on the LORD, and say, "Isn't the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster will come on us."

Zephaniah 3:3-4

Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.

Zechariah 13:4

It will happen in that day, that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision, when he prophesies; neither will they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:

Matthew 10:17

But beware of people: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

Matthew 16:6

Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Matthew 16:11

Why is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Matthew 24:4-5

Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray.

Matthew 24:24-25

For there will arise false messiahs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

Mark 12:38-40

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

Mark 13:22-23

For there will arise false messiahs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the chosen ones.

Luke 12:15

He said to them, "Beware. Keep yourselves from all covetousness, for a man's life does not consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."

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 runs away; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

Acts 13:40

Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the Prophets:

Acts 20:29-31

For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Romans 16:17-18

Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles.

Galatians 2:4

This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;

Ephesians 4:14

that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

Ephesians 5:6

Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.

Philippians 3:2

Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.

1 Timothy 4:1-3

But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,

2 Timothy 3:5-9

holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.

2 Timothy 3:13

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2 Timothy 4:3

For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts;

2 Peter 2:18-19

For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who barely escape from those who live in error;

2 Peter 3:17

You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.

Jude 1:4

For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 13:11-17

I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.

Revelation 16:13

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, something like frogs;

Revelation 17:6

I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.

Isaiah 56:10-11

His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they can't bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

Acts 13:6

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus,