²⁴ His power shall be great—^(A)but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction ^(B)and shall succeed in what he does, ^(C)and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.

¹² And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression,^[a] and it will throw truth to the ground, and ^(A)it will act and prosper.

¹⁷ for ^(A)God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and ^(B)handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

³ One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and ^(A)the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. ⁴ And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ^(B)“Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

⁵ And the beast was given ^(C)a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for ^(D)forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,^[a] that is, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ Also it was allowed ^(E)to make war on the saints and to conquer them.^[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, ⁸ and all ^(F)who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in ^(G)the book of life of ^(H)the Lamb ^(I)who was slain. ^9 (J)If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

^(M)Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

⁷ And I heard ^(A)the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; ^(B)he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and ^(C)swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a ^(D)time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of ^(E)the power of ^(F)the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.