GetPassage urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1311.tlg001.perseus-eng1:11.1-11.12 urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1311.tlg001.perseus-eng1:11.1-11.12

Whosoever then comes and teaches you allTravelling teachers these things aforesaid, receive him.

But if the teacher himself be perverted and teach another doctrine to destroy these things, do not listen to him, but if his teaching be for the increase of righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord.

And concerning the Apostles and Prophets,Apostles act thus according to the ordinance of the Gospel.It is unknown to what ordinance the writer refers.

Let every Apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord,

but let him not stay more than one day, or if need be a second as well; but if he stay three days, he is a false prophet.

And when an Apostle goes forth let him accept nothing but bread till he reach his night’s lodging; but if he ask for money, he is a false prophet.

Do not test or examine any prophet who is speakingProphets in a spirit, for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven.

But not everyone who speaks in a spirit is a prophet, except he have the behaviour of the Lord. From his behaviour, then, the false prophet and the true prophet shall be known.

And no prophet who orders a meal in a spirit shall eat of it: otherwise he is a false prophet.

And every prophet who teaches the truth, if he do not what he teaches, is a false prophet.

But no prophet who has been tried and is genuine, though he enact a worldly mystery This passage has never been satisfactorily explained: it probably refers to a tendency among some prophets to introduce forms of worship, or of illustration of their teaching, of doubtful propriety, if so the reference below to the prophets of old is perhaps an allusion to Hosea (Hos. 1, 2 ff.). of the Church, if he teach not others to do what he does himself, shall be judged by you: for he has his judgment with God, for so also did the prophets of old.

But whosoever shall say in a spirit ‘Give me money, or something else,’ you shall not listen to him; but if he tell you to give on behalf of others in want, let none judge him.