¹² But what I do, I will also continue to do, ^(A)that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. ¹³ For such ^(B)are false apostles, ^(C)deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into ^(D)an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, ^(E)whose end will be according to their works.

⁸ And He said: ^(A)“Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ ^[a]Therefore do not ^[b]go after them.

²⁹ For I know this, that after my departure ^(A)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is ^(A)according to the working of Satan, with all power, ^(B)signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among ^(C)those who perish, because they did not receive ^(D)the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And ^(E)for this reason God will send them strong delusion, ^(F)that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but ^(G)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

⁵⁷ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

⁵⁸ and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And ^(A)the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast ^(A)coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

^14 (A)And he deceives ^[a]those who dwell on the earth ^(B)by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword ^(C)and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak ^(D)and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, ^(E)to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has ^[b]the mark or ^(F)the name of the beast, ^(G)or the number of his name.

¹³ And I saw three unclean ^(A)spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of ^(B)the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of ^(C)the false prophet. ¹⁴ For they are spirits of demons, ^(D)performing signs, which go out to the kings ^[a]of the earth and of ^(E)the whole world, to gather them to ^(F)the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

^15 (G)“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, ^(H)lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

^16 (I)And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, ^[b]Armageddon.