In the Bible, a false prophet is someone who claims to have received a message from God but whose message is actually false. False prophets are often used by God to test people’s faithfulness. For example, in the book of Deuteronomy, God tells the Israelites that if they ever hear of a prophet who predicts something that does not come true, they should not listen to him.
There have been many false prophets throughout history who have led people astray. Some of them have even started their own religions based on their false messages. It is important to be careful when listening to anyone who claims to be a prophet, and to always test what they say against what the Bible says.
False prophets were a big problem in the early days of Christianity. There were many men who claimed to be prophets and who said that they had received special messages from God. Some of these men were actually false teachers, and their teachings led people astray.
The apostle Paul warned the Christians in Galatia about false prophets: “There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7). And in his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul warned about false apostles who were masquerading as servants of Christ: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:13).
So how can we tell if someone is a false prophet? There are some things to look for. First, false prophets often times teach false doctrine. They may add to or take away from the Bible. They may also distort the truth of the gospel.
Second, false prophets often times try to lead people astray with their words and their actions. They may encourage people to sin or to turn away from God.
Third, false prophets often times have ulterior motives. They may preach in order to gain power or money. Or they may preach in order to cause division among people.
Finally, we need to be careful not to following false prophets. We should test everything that is taught to us, and we should hold on to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). We should also be careful not to give into fear, because that is what false prophets often times try to exploit.
If you suspect that someone may be a false prophet, don’t be afraid to ask questions and to test what they say against the Bible. If what they say does not agree with the Bible, then you can know that they are a false prophet. Be on your guard, and don’t let yourself be led astray.
Bible Verses About False Prophets
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
2. Deuteronomy 18:20
But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
3. Jeremiah 29:31
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
4. Zechariah 13:3
And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
5. Revelation 2:2
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
6. Jeremiah 20:6
And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.
7. Deuteronomy 13:3
Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
8. Acts 13:6
And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
9. Jeremiah 23:16
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
10. Jeremiah 23:21
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
11. Acts 17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12. Jeremiah 14:14
Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
13. Ezekiel 22:28
And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.
14. Jeremiah 29:32
Therefore thus saith 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 behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.
15. Jeremiah 14:15
Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
16. Galatians 1:8
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
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