2Ti 2:6-18, 4:3-4, Tit 1:11, 2Pe 2:1-3, 1Jo 4:1, 2Jo 7-11, Jude 4 | ESV | STEP | It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops .

2 Timothy 2:6-18

6 It is ^athe hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, ^brisen from the dead, the ^coffspring of David, ^das preached in my gospel, 9 ^efor which I am suffering, ^fbound with chains as a criminal. But ^gthe word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore ^hI endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain ⁱthe salvation that is in Christ Jesus with ^jeternal glory. 11 The saying is ^ktrustworthy, for:

^lIf we have died with him, we will also ^mlive with him;
12 ⁿif we endure, we will also reign with him;
^oif we deny him, he also will deny us;
13 ^pif we are faithless, ^qhe remains faithful—
for ^rhe cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

14 Remind them of these things, and ^scharge them before God ^{▼▼Some manuscripts the Lord} ^unot to quarrel about words, ^vwhich does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, ^{▼▼That is, one approved after being tested} a worker ^xwho has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But ^yavoid ^zirreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^aaHymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, ^absaying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.

2 Timothy 4:3-4

3 ^acFor the time is coming when people will not endure ^adsound ^{▼▼Or healthy} teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and ^afwill turn away from listening to the truth and ^agwander off into myths.

Titus 1:11

11 They must be silenced, since ^ahthey are upsetting whole families by teaching ^aifor shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

2 Peter 2:1-3

False Prophets and Teachers

1 But ^ajfalse prophets also arose among the people, ^akjust as there will be false teachers among you, who will ^alsecretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master ^amwho bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth ^anwill be blasphemed. 3 And ^aoin their greed they will exploit you ^apwith false words. ^aqTheir condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

1 John 4:1

Test the Spirits

1 Beloved, ^ardo not believe every spirit, but ^astest the spirits to see whether they are from God, for ^atmany ^aufalse prophets ^avhave gone out into the world.

2 John 7-11

7 For ^awmany deceivers ^axhave gone out into the world, ^aythose who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, ^azso that you may not lose what we ^{▼▼Some manuscripts you} have worked for, but ^bbmay win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, ^bcdoes not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching ^bdhas both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^bedo not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him ^bftakes part in his wicked works.

Jude 4

4 For ^bgcertain people ^bhhave crept in unnoticed ^biwho long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert ^bjthe grace of our God into sensuality and ^bkdeny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.