<p>5:22 <i>Abstain from evil wherever it appears</i>- See on :21. This abstaining from evil may specifically refer to rejecting false prophecies. But we can also read this on a more general level; we should abstain from every appearing of sin; wherever it comes up, we should abstain (this verse <i>doesn't</i> mean 'don't do things which look as if they're sinful'). Whenever we hear of sin we should seek to cover it, not to show it forth more widely, and especially seek for it to be forgiven. By doing so we will reflect our own experience of how God has dealt with His knowledge of our sins.&nbsp; &quot;A talebearer reveals secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals (Heb. 'covers') the matter&quot; (Prov. 11:13). And it is the Spirit which is the context here in :19-24.</p>