What is a false prophet?

A false prophet is a person that falsely claims to speak on behalf of the God of a specific religion. These individuals use their status and appeal to seek results that are not in accordance with a religion's teachings.

False prophets can sometimes claim to have spiritual powers that other people don't have access to. These people preach a certain message, but behind closed doors, breach the principles they are teaching. In the Christian religion, the Bible addresses false prophets in the New Testament book of Matthew 7. Matthew 7 warns Christians to watch out for false prophets dressed in sheep's clothing and says that Christians can know false prophets by their actions.