³⁰ Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(A) after them.

⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion^(A) and are trying to pervert^(B) the gospel of Christ.

⁴ This matter arose because some false believers^(A) had infiltrated our ranks to spy on^(B) the freedom^(C) we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

Rebuking Those Who Fail to Do Good

¹⁰ For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk^(A) and deception, especially those of the circumcision group.^{(B) 11} They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households^(C) by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹² One of Crete’s own prophets^(D) has said it: “Cretans^(E) are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”^{[a] 13} This saying is true. Therefore rebuke^(F) them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith^{(G) 14} and will pay no attention to Jewish myths^(H) or to the merely human commands^(I) of those who reject the truth.^{(J) 15} To the pure, all things are pure,^(K) but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.^(L) In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.^{(M) 16} They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.^(N) They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.^(O)

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(C) who bought them^(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves.