²⁰ “Then in his place one will stand who will ^(A)have an ^[a]oppressor pass through the ^[b]Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be broken, though not in anger nor in battle. ²¹ And in his place a despised person will stand, to whom the splendor of the kingdom has not been given, but he will come in a time of ease and ^(B)take hold of the kingdom by intrigue. ²² But the overflowing ^[c](C)might will be flooded away before him and broken, and also the prince of the covenant. ²³ And after an alliance is made with him, he will ^[d]practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. ^24 [e]In a time of ease he will enter the ^(D)richest parts of the province, and he will do what his fathers never did, nor his fathers’ fathers; he will distribute plunder, spoil, and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. ²⁵ And he will stir up his strength and heart against the ^(E)king of the South with a great military force; so the king of the South will wage war with an extremely large and mighty military force for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. ²⁶ And those who eat his choice food will break him, and his military force will ^[f](F)overflow, but many will fall down slain. ²⁷ And as for both kings, their hearts will be intent on ^(G)evil, and they will ^(H)speak falsehood at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the ^(I)end is still to come at the appointed time. ²⁸ Then he will return to his land with great possessions; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.

²⁹ “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but ^[g]this last time it will not happen the way it did before. ³⁰ Indeed, ships of ^[h](J)Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become indignant at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹ Mighty forces from him will stand, ^(K)profane the sanctuary fortress, and abolish the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the ^(L)abomination ^[i]of desolation. ³² And by ^(M)smooth words he will ^[j]turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display ^(N)strength and take action. ³³ And ^[k](O)those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will ^(P)fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. ³⁴ Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, and many will ^(Q)join with them in ^[l](R)intrigue. ³⁵ And some of ^[m]those who have insight will fall, in order to ^(S)refine, ^(T)purge, and make them ^[n](U)pure until the time of the ^(V)end, because it is still to come at the appointed time.

³⁶ “Then the king will ^(W)do as he pleases, and he will exalt and ^(X)magnify himself above every god and will ^(Y)speak ^[o]astonishing things against the ^(Z)God of gods; and he will succeed until the ^(AA)indignation is finished, for that which is ^(AB)decreed will be done. ³⁷ He will show no regard for the ^[p]gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. ³⁸ But ^[q]instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones, and desirable things. ³⁹ And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to ^[r]those who recognize him and will cause them to rule over the many and will apportion land for a price.