³⁵ Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,^(A) purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

The King Who Exalts Himself

³⁶ “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself^(B) above every god and will say unheard-of things^(C) against the God of gods.^(D) He will be successful until the time of wrath^(E) is completed, for what has been determined must take place.^{(F) 37} He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. ³⁸ Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.

The End Times

12 “At that time Michael,^(A) the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress^(B) such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book^(C)—will be delivered.^(D)

²⁷ He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’^[a] In the middle of the ‘seven’^[b] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple^[c] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed^(A) is poured out on him.^[d]”^[e]

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)