10 Bible Verses about False Prophets You Should Know

The Bible offers profound wisdom and discernment when it comes to recognizing false prophets—individuals who may lead believers astray with deceptive teachings. In this post, we’ll dive into 10 powerful verses that shed light on the characteristics and warnings provided in these passages.

As the world gets darker and darker, we need to be going deeper and deeper into God’s Word. Knowing your Bible, as well as being led by the Holy Spirit, are your weapons against false teaching. I pray that you will grow closer to God and stand firm in His Word in these tough times.

Verses about False Prophets

1. Matthew 7:15-16

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.”

Jesus warns against false prophets who may appear harmless but can be identified by the fruit of their actions—what they produce in their lives.

2. Matthew 24:11

“And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.”

Jesus tells us of the rise of false prophets, emphasizing the prevalence of deception and the need for discernment among believers.

3. 2 Peter 2:1

“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.”

Peter acknowledges the presence of false prophets and warns against those who teach destructive heresies, emphasizing the potential consequences they face.

4. 1 John 4:1

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”

John encourages believers to exercise discernment and test the spirits to verify if someone claiming to speak by the Spirit is genuinely from God.

5. Jeremiah 23:16

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people: ‘Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord!'”

Jeremiah warns against false prophets who fill people with futile hopes, emphasizing that their words are not from the Lord.

6. Mark 13:22

“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”

Jesus foretells the deceptive nature of false prophets, highlighting their ability to perform signs and wonders to mislead even Christians.

7. Deuteronomy 13:1-3

“Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods,’ gods you have not known before, do not listen to them.”

Moses instructs the Israelites to discern false prophets who, even if they perform signs, are to be rejected if they lead people away from the true God.

8. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

“These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end, they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.”

Paul exposes false apostles who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, emphasizing that their true nature will be revealed in the end.

9. Matthew 24:24

“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”

Reiterating the warning, Jesus emphasizes the deceptive nature of false prophets, including their ability to perform remarkable signs and wonders.

10. Galatians 1:8

“Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.”

Paul expresses the severity of preaching a different gospel, highlighting the importance of holding fast to the authentic message of the Good News.

Short Prayer

Heavenly Father, please give us discernment and wisdom to recognize false prophets who may attempt to lead us astray. Help us to test every spirit and teaching against the truth of Your Word. Keep us grounded in the genuine message of the Gospel, protecting us from deception. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Conclusion

As we navigate the complexities of faith, these verses serve as beacons of wisdom, guiding believers to discern and avoid the pitfalls of false prophets. By remaining vigilant and anchored in the truth of God’s Word, we can protect ourselves and others from deceptive teachings. Let us hold fast to the authentic message of the Gospel, relying on the Holy Spirit for discernment in our journey of faith.