²⁰ “Then in his place one will arise who will ^(A)allow an ^[a]oppressor to 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 despicable person will arise, on whom the majesty of kingship has not been conferred; but he will come in a time of tranquility and ^(B)seize the kingdom by intrigue. ²² And the overflowing ^(C)forces will be flooded away from him and smashed, and also the prince of the covenant. ²³ After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. ^24 [c]In a time of tranquility he will enter the ^(D)richest parts of the ^[d]realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers did not, nor his ^[e]ancestors; he will distribute plunder, spoils, 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 ^[f]courage against the ^(E)king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, because schemes will be devised against him. ²⁶ Those who eat his choice food will ^[g]destroy him, and his army will ^[h](F)overflow, but many will fall down slain. ²⁷ As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on ^(G)evil, and they will ^(H)speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, because the ^(I)end is still to come at the appointed time. ²⁸ Then he will return to his land with much ^[i]plunder; 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 ^[j]this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. ³⁰ For ships of ^[k](J)Kittim will come against him; therefore he will withdraw in fear and will return and curse the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and pay attention to those who abandon the holy covenant. ³¹ Forces from him will arise, ^(K)desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the ^(L)abomination ^[l]of desolation. ³² And by ^(M)smooth words he will ^[m]turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be ^(N)strong and take action. ³³ And ^[n](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 ^(R)hypocrisy. ³⁵ And some of ^[o]those who have insight will fall, to ^(S)refine, ^(T)purge, and ^[p](U)cleanse them until the ^(V)end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.

³⁶ “Then the king will ^(W)do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and ^(X)boast against every god and will ^(Y)speak ^[q]dreadful things against the ^(Z)God of gods; and he will be successful until the ^(AA)indignation is finished, because that which is ^(AB)determined will be done. ³⁷ And he will show no regard for the ^[r]gods of his fathers or for the ^[s]desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will boast against them all. ³⁸ But ^[t]instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, precious stones, and treasures. ³⁹ And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to ^[u]those who acknowledge him and will make them rulers over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.