³ Don’t let anyone deceive you^(A) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(B) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed,^(C) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(D) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(E)

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?^{(F) 6} And now you know what is holding him back,^(G) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(H) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(I) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(J) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^{(K) 9} The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(L) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(M) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(N) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(O) 11} For this reason God sends them^(P) a powerful delusion^(Q) so that they will believe the lie^{(R) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(S)

The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open^(A) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider^(B) is called Faithful and True.^(C) With justice he judges and wages war.^{(D) 12} His eyes are like blazing fire,^(E) and on his head are many crowns.^(F) He has a name written on him^(G) that no one knows but he himself.^{(H) 13} He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,^(I) and his name is the Word of God.^{(J) 14} The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,^(K) white^(L) and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword^(M) with which to strike down^(N) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”^[a](O) He treads the winepress^(P) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:^(Q)

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds^(S) flying in midair,^(T) “Come,^(U) gather together for the great supper of God,^{(V) 18} so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,^(W) free and slave,^(X) great and small.”^(Y)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast^(Z) and the kings of the earth^(AA) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse^(AB) and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet^(AC) who had performed the signs^(AD) on its behalf.^(AE) With these signs he had deluded^(AF) those who had received the mark of the beast^(AG) and worshiped its image.^(AH) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake^(AI) of burning sulfur.^{(AJ) 21} The rest were killed with the sword^(AK) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,^(AL) and all the birds^(AM) gorged themselves on their flesh.

²¹ The rest were killed with the sword^(A) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,^(B) and all the birds^(C) gorged themselves on their flesh.