False Teachers are Not Rare, but Common / Be Alert
Rick McNally / August 2026
The idea of being watchful for people who draw followers after themselves is found in nearly every New Testament book. Leaders and teachers are to — serve others, not damage others, point towards Christ, be humble, be transparent, be open, and be truthful; lifestyle matters just as much as doctrine, in fact lifestyle issues point toward the validity of the doctrinal beliefs. If you have or are being told to simply “obey the elders,” “trust the leaders” or “touch not the Lord’s anointed” you are not being told the whole counsel of the scriptures heartfelt warnings on the (1) evil of false leaders or (2) your proper role of discerning. Paul on the banks of a river reminded the Ephesian elders about his nearly daily warnings regarding the “fierce wolves” that would not “spare the flock” (Acts 20). Jesus left his boldest and harshest teaching for such people as these. Jesus is your only true teacher, God your only true authority (Matthew 23). Keep your eyes wide open, and discern what you see with them.
Scripture does say that we should “obey our leaders” but without the rest of the Scripture’s instruction it seems as if we are to just “do what they say” regardless. That is not the context of this command in scripture, and the word “obey” here means “be open to the wisdom of their words and life” or “be open to persuasion” not “do what they say.” In the whole context of Scripture the idea is much more “be discerning.” Without discernment ecclesiastical activities can go woefully wrong.
Here are some of the responses we are to have toward teachers. Submit to God, for sure, but when it comes to human leaders we must be discerning. You don’t have to be mean, but you must be discerning, and asking questions and asking for transparency is not rebellion. To fail to be discerning you do not honor your scriptural requirement as a Christian who carefully study and “cut scripture straight.” These responses are quelled from the more detailed book by book section that follows this list.
Keeping Your Eyes Open / Action Summaries
How to respond to teachers and leaders; the first level seems to be a watchful eye, the second level is warning them if they are off base, the third is to not yield to them (do not submit), the fourth is to not associate with them.
1 / Keep a Watchful Eye / Beware
- Beware / prosechō / be in a continuous state of readiness
- See That / skopeō / be aware of, watch out
- Examine scriptures / example by the Bereans
- Let no one deceive you / do not be lead astray
- Be Alert / grēgoreō / stay awake, watch out
- Pay careful attention / prosechō / state of readinessTake care / hold something in personal close custody
- Watch yourself / blepete / be on guard
- Test them /epeirasas / put them to the test
2 / Warn Them / Confront Them / Correct Them
- Charge them not to teach / tell them to keep silent
- Correct opponents with gentleness / train them
- Silence them / stop them from talking, damaging people
- Rebuke them / put them to the test, expose
3 / Do Not Yield to Them
- Do not go after them / opisō / do not follow them
- Do not endure / do not put up with them
- Do not Yield in Submission / eikō / do not obey
- Repent from their works / change your mind.
4 / Do Not Associate with Them
- Avoid them / ekklinō / purposely avoid association with them
- Do not become partners wth them / symmetochos / do not share possessions or relationships
- Do not receive them / lambanete / do not welcome, do not invite, do not accept
- Do not greet them / legōn / do not talk to them
- Hate their works / miseō / despise strongly
Book by Book
Book by Book / this is what was discovered on a “first pass” and might be missing some passages and ideas.
Matthew /
- Matthew 7:15-20 / Beware, come in sheep’s clothing, ravenous wolves. Recognized by their fruit (behavior).
- Matthew 16:6-12 / Beware leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their teaching, their seductive and deceptive ways.
- Matthew 23:1-36 / Beware, their hypocrisy. Beware people taking the place of God’s roles of authority, teacher, guide in people’s lives. Jesus gives seven “woes” of judgement.
- Matthew 24:4-5 / See that no one will lead you astray. Many will come…
Beware / prosechō / louw-nida / be in a continuous state of readiness to learn of any future danger, and respond appropriately
See that / skopeō / be aware of, watch out, notice carefully, be prepared
Mark /
- Mark 7:6-8 / honor with lips, hearts far from me, leave God’s commandments and hold to the traditions of men
- Mark 8:15-21 / beware the leaven of the Pharisees / hearts hardened, cannot see, cannot hear.
- Mark 13:5-6 / see that no one leads you astray, many will come. Be on guard.
- Mark 13:21-23 / false christs and false prophets will lead people astray
- Mark 12:38-40 / beware scribes that walk around in long robes, who like greetings in the marketplace, best seats in the synagogues, pretense prayers. They will receive a greater condemnation.
Luke /
- Luke 6:26 / woe to you when all people speak well of you
- Luke 11:37-52 / parallel to Matthew 23
- Luke 16:14-15 / lovers of money, ridiculed Jesus. People who justify themselves before men.
- Luke 20:45-47 / parallel to Mark 12
- Luke 21:8 / do not go after them
Do not go after them / opisō / follow, do not follow after them and give them your attention
John
- John 7:16-18 / speaking of their own authority, seeks own glory / stay in the teaching of the Father as Jesus did it.
- John 10:1-13 / false shepherds / robbers, thieves, good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep / wolves snatch them and scatter them / they are hired hands and care nothing for the sheep
Acts
- Acts 13:6-12 / false teacher named Bar-Jesus / stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord
- Acts 15:1-2 / False teachers pushing circumcision on the greeks / causing dissension and debate.
- Acts 17:10-12 / Berean people knew the Word and were receptive but also examined what the disciples said to see if those things were true.
- Acts 20:28-31 ** / Paul tells Ephesian elders to “pay careful attention” to “yourself” and “all the flock” as “fierce wolves” would arise from their own number to draw away disciples for themselves. Be alert.
Romans
- Romans 16:17-20 / those who cause divisions, create obstacles, they serve their own appetites, smooth talk, flattery, deceive the naive / God will crush Satan under your feet.
Avoid them / ekklinō / purposely avoid association with / shun, avoid, keep away, have nothing to do with them.
1 Corinthians
- 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 / following people instead of Christ
- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 / “people of the flesh” / jealous, strife / following people / team not individuals
- 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 / boast in men, become wise in God not in the wisdom of this age
- 1 Corinthians 4:6-7 / do not go beyond what is written / puffed up in favor of one against another /
- 1 Corinthians 11:18-19 / divisions / meeting is for the worst
2 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians 2:7 / peddlers of God’s word / insincere
- 2 Corinthians 11:3-9 / “super apostles” / proud, skilled at speaking, proud, asking for renumeration / different gospel
- 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 / deceitful, disguised, “servants of righteousness” / their end will correspond to their deeds
- 2 Corinthians 11:20 /
- don’t bear with fools — don’t allow others to “make slaves of you, devour you, take advantage of you.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:11-12 /
Do not endure / put up with, be patient with
Galatians
- Galatians 1:6-9 / there is no “different gospel” / one gospel
- Gal 2:4-5 / false brothers, spy on freedom in Christ, to bring people into slavery, do not yield in submission
- Gal 4:17 / false flattery, to “shut you out” of the gospel, so that you make “much of them.” To gain followers.
- Gal 5:7-12 / Leaven, preaching works of the flesh, unsettling the believers.
- Gal 6:12-13 / people who want to make a good showing in the flesh, forcing them into obedience to the OT law, to avoid persecution, to boast in their converts.
Do not Yield in submission / do not obey, to not submit
Ephesians
- Eph 4:14-15 / the characteristics of being manipulated / contrasted by speaking the truth in love
- Eph 5:6-7 / let no one deceive you with empty words /
- Eph 6:10-12 / take up the armor of God to defend
Let no one deceive you / do not be lead astray
Do not become partners with them / symmetochos / do not share possessions or relationship
Philippians
- Phil 1:15-18 / preaching Christ from something other than good will
- Phil 3:2-3 / Dogs who push circumcision, putting confidence in the flesh.
- Phil 3:18-19 / many are enemies of the Cross of Christ / end destruction / god is their belly / glory in their shame / minds set on earthly things
Colossians
- Col 2:2-4 / people who will want to delude you with plausible arguments
- Col 2:8-10 / taking people captive by philosophy and empty deceit, based on human tradition, elemental spirits.
- Col 2:16-23 / people who pass judgement on others, in questions of food and drink, sabbath celebrations. Disqualifying people, puffed up, sensuous mind, letting go of Jesus. Elemental spirits — do not handle, to not taste, do not touch / do not submit to these regulations. An appearance of wisdom, no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
1 and 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Thess 2:3-6 / Modes of false teaching / error, impurity, attempt to deceive, to please man, flattery, seeking glory / positive modes, gentle
- 1 Thess 5:21-22 / abstain from every form of evil.
1 and 2 Timothy
- 1 Tim 1:3-7 / warning against false teachers, generic descriptions.
- 1 Tim 4:1-3 / they forbid marriage, require abstinence
- 1 Tim 6:20-21 / avoid irreverent babble and contradictions and “knowledge”
- 2 Tim 2:16-18 / named two individuals / “the resurrection has already happened” / upsetting faith of some
- 2 Tim 2:23-3:9 / avoid foolish, ignorant controversies /
- 2 Tim 4:3-4 / accumulate teachers to suit their passions / not listen to truth / wander off into myths
Charge them not to teach /
Correct opponents with gentleness / paideuō / to discipline, to train
Titus
- Titus 1:9-16 / insubordanate, empty talkers, deceivers, especially of the circumcision party, upsetting families, teaching for gain / detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
- Titus 3:9-11 /
Silenced them / stop them from talking / damaging people
Rebuke them / put them to the test, convict, expose them / sharply
Philemon
- None
Hebrews
- Hebrews 3:12-14 / deceitfulness of sin
- Hebrews 5:11-14 / moving from milk to solid food
- Hebrews 13:9 / diverse and strange teaching
James
- James 3:1 / not many should assume to be teachers, judged with greater strictness
- James 3:13 / bitter jealousy, selfish ambition / not real wisdom / demonic / not pure, causes divisions, merciless, fleshly, partial, insincere.
- James 4 / selfish ambition causes quarrels and divisions / worldly
1 and 2 Peter
- 1 Peter 5:8 / Be watchful
- 2 Peter 2 ** / False teachers / secretly / sensual / greedy / ungodly / God can keep the righteous safe from the sinful / punishment / ignorant / blots and belmishes / entice unsteady souls / greedy / waterless springs / gloom / speak loud boasts / slaves to corruption / dog returns to its own vomit.
- 2 Peter 3:3-4 / scoffers / where is the promise of his coming / following own sinful desires
- 2 Peter 3:16-17 / take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability
Take care / phylassō / hold someone or something in close custody, guard
1, 2 and 3 John
- 1 John 1:1-10 / truth, honesty, confession / walking in the light / proof of discipleship and true believers
- 1 John 2:10 / loving brother is proof
- 1 John 2:18-19 / denial of Christ / went out from us but were never one of us
- 1 John 2:22-23 / denial of Christ
- 1 John 3:10 / practicing righteousness / loving others
- 1 John 4:1-6 ** / Do not believe every spirit, test them / false prophets / spirit of truth, spirit of error /
- 1 John 4:7 / love is a proof of true believers
- 2 John 7-11 / many deceivers, not confessing the coming of Jesus Christ, watch yourselves / going ahead of scripture /
Watch yourselves / blepete / be on guard
Do not receive them / lambanete / welcome invite, accept
Do not greet them / legōn / talk to them
Revelation
- Chapters 2-3 in Particular
- Rev 2:2 / Tested false apostles
- Rev 2:8 / The Nicolatioans / hate their works
- Rev 2:14 / The teaching of Balaam /
- Rev 2:18 / Jezebel /
Tested Apostles / epeirasas / put to the test
Hate Works of False Teachers / miseō / despise strongly
Repent / change your mind
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