They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

有敬虔的外貌，却背了敬虔的实意；这等人你要躲开。

有敬虔的外貌，却背弃了敬虔的实质，这等人你要避开。

有敬虔的外貌，却背弃了敬虔的实质，这等人你要避开。

虚有敬虔的外表，却无敬虔的实质。你要避开这样的人。

有敬虔的形式，却否定敬虔的能力；这些人你应当避开。

有敬神的外表，却否定敬神的实质；这样的人你要避开。

有敬虔的外貌，卻背了敬虔的實意；這等人你要躲開。

有敬虔的外貌，卻背棄了敬虔的實質，這等人你要避開。

有敬虔的外貌，卻背棄了敬虔的實質，這等人你要避開。

虛有敬虔的外表，卻無敬虔的實質。你要避開這樣的人。

有敬虔的形式，卻否定敬虔的能力；這些人你應當避開。

有敬虔的形式，卻背棄了敬虔的實質；這種人、你要躲開。

有敬神的外表，卻否定敬神的實質；這樣的人你要避開。

有敬虔之貌、而無其實、若此者宜遠之、

有敬虔之名、無敬虔之實、若此者、當遠之、

有虔敬之貌、而無虔敬之實、而無虔敬之實原文作而不認其德若此者、爾當遠避、

外飾虔誠之貌內實麻木不仁。此類之人、務望吾兒避之若浼。

having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

They will act as if they were serving God. But what they do will show that they have turned their backs on God’s power. Have nothing to do with these people.

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.

having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.

holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.

holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.

And so the Lord says,“ These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man made rules learned by rote.

“ What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs— beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.No wonder the Scriptures say,“ The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”

“ Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other,‘ Come on, let’s go hear the prophet tell us what the Lord is saying!’So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!

If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.

“ Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.

“ Listen to me, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and born into the family of Judah. Listen, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and call on the God of Israel. You don’t keep your promises,even though you call yourself the holy city and talk about depending on the God of Israel, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.

Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed.

“ Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins!Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.‘ We have fasted before you!’ they say.‘ Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’“ I will tell you why!” I respond.“ It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.