{Abstain from every form of evil} (apo pantos eidous
pon(8872)ou apechesthe). Present middle (direct) imperative of
ap-ech(935c) (contrast with kat-ech(935c)) and preposition apo
repeated with ablative as in  1Th 4:3 . Note use of pon(8872)ou
here for evil without the article, common enough idiom. Eidos
(from eidon) naturally means look or appearance as in  Lu 3:23  9:29  Joh 5:37  2Co 5:7 . But, if so taken, it is not semblance
as opposed to reality (Milligan). The papyri give several
examples of eidos in the sense of class or kind and that idea
suits best here. Evil had a way of showing itself even in the
spiritual gifts including prophecy.