²⁰ And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ ^(A) So one was saying this and another was saying that.

²¹ “Then a spirit came forward, stood in the Lord’s presence, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

²² “The Lord asked him, ‘How?’

“He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit^(B) in the mouth of all his prophets.’

“Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.^(C) Go and do that.’

²³ “You see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”

²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,^(A) if possible, even the elect.

¹⁰ and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved.^(A)