NT in 40 days: Matt. 22-25

23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes." -- Matthew 24:23-27 [NLT]

From this passage, I get two things: first, that I don't have to worry about new religious teachings coming up since the Bible was coallated. Second, even false prophets can "perform great signs and wonders."

I wonder if this was why Jesus was so hostile to the religious leaders' demand for a miraculous sign back in Matthew 16:1-4. Such signs may be persuasive, but they prove nothing.