8 Bible Verses about False Teachers

(for 'tis objected that my letters are weighty and powerful, but my bodily presence weak, and my preaching

that we should be no longer children, fluctuating, and carried about with every empty doctrine, by men vers'd in sleight and the crafty arts of deceit:

for such as these serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own selfishness; and by flourish and flattery, deceive the open-hearted simple.

for these are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguised so as to pass for true apostles.

they place their felicity in daily pleasure: they are a vile scandal to religion: when they are present at your love-feasts they indulge their luxury:

having presented them to the Officers, they said, these men, who are Jews, raise great disorders in our city, and preach such maxims, as it is not lawful for Romans, as we are, to admit or practise.

this man is known to be a pernicious fellow that goes about the world to raise seditions among the Jews: he is the ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

but the unbelieving Jews thro' envy, by the assistance of some loose strolers, rais'd a mob, set the whole city in an uproar, and attack'd Jason's house, thinking to find them there, and deliver them up to the populace. but not finding them, they dragg'd Jason and some of the brethren to the magistrates, crying out, these that have been every where the disturbers of the publick peace, are come hither also, and have been entertain'd by Jason. they all act in defiance of the edicts of Cesar, pretending there is another king, one Jesus.

when he appear'd, the Jews, who were come from Jerusalem presented themselves before Festus, and loaded Paul with abundance of accusations, which they were not able to prove. to this he answer'd, "I have not been guilty of any misdemeanour, either against the law, or against the temple, or against Cesar."

Now the chief priests, the senators and the whole council, endeavour'd to get false evidence against Jesus, that he might be condemn'd to die. but they found none: and though many false witnesses came, it was not found sufficient. at last there came two false witnesses, who charg'd him with saying, "I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."

Peter followed at a distance, even into the palace of the high priest: where he sat down among the servants to warm himself at the fire. Now the chief priests, and the whole council endeavour'd to get evidence against Jesus, to condemn him to die; but they found none. there were indeed several, who depos'd what was false against him: besides, what they deposed was insufficient. read more.
at last there appear'd some, who gave in false evidence against him, saying, we heard him say, "I will pull down this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands." but neither did this evidence appear sufficient.

they suborned men, who said, we have heard him speak irreverently of Moses, and of God.

where they produc'd false witnesses, who said, this man is continually inveighing against the holy place, and against the law.

this opinionativeness does not come from him that called you. a little leaven affects the whole mass.

and as to the false brethren, who insidiously crept in to spy out our liberty which we have by Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into servitude;

whilst they promise others liberty, they themselves are slaves to their corrupt passions. for he that is vanquished, is a slave to the conqueror.

For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

If any one deviate from this doctrine, not adhering to the wholesome instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ, the true doctrine of piety, he is full of pride and ignorance, touch'd with a spirit of chicanery and wrangling, productive of envy, contention, calumny,

As there were false prophets among the people of Israel, there will likewise be false doctors among you, who by introducing pernicious sects, and by renouncing the Lord, who bought them, will bring upon themselves swift destruction. many will follow their destructive maxims, and by their means christianity will be traduc'd. By their artful discourses they will make you the tools of their avarice; but their condemnation has been a long time advancing, and their ruin is far from lingring. read more.
for since God did not spare the angels, who had sinned, but having precipitated them to hell, confin'd them to chains of darkness, where they are reserv'd for judgment: since he did not spare the old world, having preserved only eight persons, including Noah, that preacher of virtue, when he brought the deluge upon the impious world: since he condemn'd the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to an entire subversion, and reduc'd them to ashes, to make them serve for examples to future impiety: since he deliver'd that just man Lot, who was grieved at the enormous practices of the licentious; for whilst this good man was among them, it daily pierc'd his virtuous soul, to see and hear of their detestable behaviour: this consider'd, I say, the Lord will deliver those, who fear him, from their affliction, and reserve the wicked to be punish'd at the day of judgment. especially those, who prostitute themselves to sensual infamous passions: who despise magistrates, who being audacious, and insolent, intrepidly calumniate the higher powers; whereas the angels, who are of superiour power and dignity, don't inveigh against one another. But as for these, they have no more reason than brute beasts that are naturally made for hunting, and slaughter: so these who calumniate what they do not understand, shall receive the reward of their iniquity by perishing in their own corruption. they place their felicity in daily pleasure: they are a vile scandal to religion: when they are present at your love-feasts they indulge their luxury: their eyes are inflam'd with adultery, and unextinguishable vice: they insnare the souls of the inconstant. their minds are practis'd in the arts of avarice: an execrable race, who have deserted the right way, and are gone astray to follow the practices of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity; but he was rebuked for his transgression: for an ass, as dumb as it was, spoke with an articulate voice, and reprimanded the extravagance of the prophet. These are wells without water; clouds agitated with a tempest, who are consigned to the obscurity of eternal darkness. when their language swells with vanity, by applying to the sensual passions of the licentious, they allure those who were escap'd for a while, from such deceivers: whilst they promise others liberty, they themselves are slaves to their corrupt passions. for he that is vanquished, is a slave to the conqueror. As for those who have renounc'd the pollutions of the world, by their owning Jesus Christ for their Lord and saviour, if they are prevail'd upon to be entangled therein again, their last state is worse than the first. for it had been better for them, not to have made any profession of the gospel, than after they have embraced it, to abandon the holy injunction, that was delivered to them. but the proverb is exactly verified in them, "the dog is return'd to his own vomit: the sow that was wash'd, is wallowing in the mire."