Unquestionably, Satan and the demons mislead people “with every powerful work and lying signs and portents and with every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing.” —2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10.
And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.”
Since we are united as “members belonging to one another,” we certainly should not be devious or deliberately try to mislead our fellow worshippers, for that is the same as lying to them.
Speaking truth with our neighbor would rule out giving false or misleading information to governmental authorities in order to receive public assistance.
(John 12:31; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19) In the revelation given to the apostle John, Satan is identified as the predominant source of woe —the one primarily responsible for “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” —Revelation 12:9-12.
17 Interestingly, Timothy was told that in “later periods of time some [would] fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons.”
The record says: “Down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth.”