54 Bible Verses about False Teachings

I have a few things against you: you have people there who hold to the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to present a snare to the sons of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices and commit fornication. You also have those who hold the doctrine (teaching) of the sect of Nicolaus in like manner.

Whoever disobeys even the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand whoever obeys and teaches others to obey the Law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Now we ask you, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, do not get upset right away or alarmed when someone claims that we said through some spirit, conversation, or letter that the Day of Jehovah has already come. (Isaiah 13:6) (Zephaniah 1:14) (2 Peter 3:10)

The Spirit explicitly says that some will fall away from the faith (truth) in later times. Spirits and doctrines of demons will seduce them, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron. They will forbid marrying, [and command] to abstain from food, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads my servants astray so that they commit immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules (commands) of men.'

They worship me in vain teaching as doctrines the commands of men.'

These people praise me with their words, said Jehovah, but they never draw near to me in their hearts (deepest thoughts). Their reverence for me comes from the repetitious tradition of men.

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

If you died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances: Do not handle. Do not taste. Do not touch. These are the precepts and doctrines of men.read more.
These have, indeed, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body. But these are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.

As I urged you to stay at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that you might command certain men not to teach strange doctrines. They should not pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These myths (false stories) (fabrications) and genealogies stimulate questions and speculation. They do not enhance the administration of God that is by faith. But the objective is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith without hypocrisy.read more.
Some have turned aside to vain talk by deviating from these things. They want to be teachers of the Law even though they do not know what they are talking about. They do not understand what they say or what they confidently affirm.

There arose false prophets among the people. There will be false teachers among you! They will privately bring in destructive heresies (contrary doctrines), denying even the Master who bought them. They bring swift destruction on themselves.

Watch out for the false prophets. They are disguised as sheep. But in their hearts they are vicious wolves.

I know that after my departing grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Such men will arise from among you speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.

There are many unruly (rebellious) men, vain talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision. They must be stopped. Their mouths must be shut up, for they subvert entire households. They teach things that should not be taught, for the sake of dishonest gain.

Such men will arise from among you speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them.

We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error.

O Timothy, guard that which is committed to you. Turn away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from opposition and from false knowledge. Some have professed this knowledge and erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you.

Do not be carried away by varied (different) and strange teachings. It is good that the heart is established by grace and not by food. Those who are occupied by them are not benefited.

They have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin! They entice unsteady persons. Their hearts are full of covetousness. They are children of cursing. They went astray, forsaking the right way. They followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing.

I write you these things concerning those who would lead you astray.

Many will follow their lascivious (filthy sensual) deeds. The way of the truth will be maligned.

Jesus answered: Be careful that no man misleads you. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

Jesus warned them: Take heed that no man lead you astray. Many will come in my name (Greek: onoma: claiming my authority), saying, I am he; and will lead many astray.

For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine. Having their ears tickled, they will accumulate teachers who follow after their own lusts.

For, uttering arrogant words of vanity, they entice in the desires (lusts) of the flesh, by sensuality (lasciviousness), those who are just escaping from the ones who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they are bondservants of corruption. A man is brought into bondage by one and enslaved by another.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. This is because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Here is how you know the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that you heard was coming and now it is already in the world.read more.
You are of God, my little children. You have overcome them because he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. They are from the world. They speak that which is from the world and the world listens to them.

There will be false Christs and false prophets. They will show great signs and wonders so that many will be misled. This includes some of the chosen ones.

There will arise false Christs and false prophets. They show signs and wonders that will mislead many, even the anointed.

The evil (lawless) one will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false signs and wonders. He will use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved.

Then I saw another wild beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast that came ahead of him. The second beast causes the earth and those who live there to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performed great signs, so that he made fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.read more.
And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles he had power to do in the sight of the beast. He says to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast that had the wound by a sword and yet lives. He had power to give breath to the image of the beast and to make that image of the beast speak. He caused many to be killed, those who would not worship the image of the beast.

The Spirit explicitly says that some will fall away from the faith (truth) in later times. Spirits and doctrines of demons will seduce them, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron.

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds will be lead away from the simplicity and the purity (cleanness) that is toward Christ. If someone comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different good news, which you did not accept, you do well to put up with him.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. This is because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Here is how you know the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that you heard was coming and now it is already in the world.

I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits, working signs, which go to the kings of the earth, of the whole world. They gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

They speak evil words about you because of their extreme greed. They will exploit you with false evil words. Their judgment from long ago is not idle. Their destruction will not delay.

See to it that no one enslaves you by means of philosophy and worthless deceit of human wisdom according to tradition of men. It is according to the elementary principles of the world, and not from Christ.

Here is how you know the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that you heard was coming and now it is already in the world.

I want you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed. And no person can say, Jesus is the Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he who denies the Father and the Son.read more.
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

Watch out for the false prophets. They are disguised as sheep. But in their hearts they are vicious wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do men get grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Every good tree gives righteous fruit. The bad tree gives evil fruit.read more.
A good tree does not give bad fruit. A bad tree does not give good fruit. Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

You suffer, if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes advantage of you, if a man exalts himself, if a man strikes you on the face.

My little children let no man deceive you! He who practices righteousness is righteous, even as he [Christ] is righteous. He who sins is of the devil. For the devil sinned from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was made known (manifested), that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever is born of God does not practice sin! His seed abides in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God.read more.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not from God. He who does not love his brother is not from God.

If any man teaches a different doctrine, and does not consent to sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine that is according to godliness, he is proud, knows nothing, has a morbid interest in questions and disputes about words, which leads to envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, frictions between men corrupted in mind and lacking in truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.

As I urged you to stay at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that you might command certain men not to teach strange doctrines. They should not pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These myths (false stories) (fabrications) and genealogies stimulate questions and speculation. They do not enhance the administration of God that is by faith.

But avoid worldly and empty discussion, for it will lead to further ungodliness. This kind of talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus. These men have gone astray from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.

As for you, let that live in you, which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning lives in you, you will also live in the Son, and in the Father.

I am amazed that you so quickly turned away from the One who called you by the grace of Christ. You turned to different good news. Yet this is not another good news. But there are some who trouble (agitate) you, and they would pervert the good news of Christ. If we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any message other than that which we preached to you, let him be accursed (condemned) (expelled).read more.
We said before and now I say again, if any man preaches to you any message other than what you received, let him be accursed!

I entrust this command to you, Timothy, my son. It is in accordance with the prophecies that were previously made. They do apply to you, and with them you may fight the good fight. Keep the faith and maintain a good conscience! Some have rejected these things and have suffered shipwreck to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I handed them over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.

Hold firmly to the true words that I taught you, as the example for you to follow. Remain in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us. Keep (guard) (obey) (preserve) the good things that have been entrusted to you.

Now I beseech you, brothers, mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have learned and avoid them. They do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the unaware.

Know this also that in the last days perilous (dangerous) times will come. For men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous (lovers of money), arrogant, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful (ungrateful), unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, despisers of those who are good,read more.
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Stay away from people like this! Among them are those who creep into houses and lead captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away with various lusts. They are constantly learning, and never able to grasp the knowledge of the truth. And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, rejected concerning the faith, they will make no progress; for their foolishness will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.

You should avoid foolish arguing and dissentions, questioning; and genealogies, and arguing about law, for they are unprofitable and vain. A divisive and dissentious man should be admonished, and after two times have nothing to do with that man. You know that man sins and is perverted. He is self-condemned.

Whoever pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God! He who dwells in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. Do not receive anyone into your house who comes to you and does not bring this teaching. Give him no greeting! He who greets him partakes of his evil works.