²⁰ “Then in his place will arise one sending an official throughout the glory^[a] of his kingdom, and in a few days^[b] he will be broken, but not in anger and not in battle. ²¹ And in his place a despicable person will arise on whom^[c] they have not conferred the majesty of the kingdom, and he will come in without warning^[d] and he will seize the kingdom by deceit. ²² And before him^[e] mighty military forces^[f] will be utterly swept away, and they will be broken, and also the leader of the covenant. ²³ And after an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully, and he will rise and he will become powerful with few people backing him. ²⁴ In a time of ease and in the rich parts of the province, he will come and he will do what his predecessors^[g] did not do; he will distribute plunder and spoil and possessions to them, and he will devise his plans against fortifications, but only for a time.^{[h] 25} And he will stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south and with a much greater and stronger army;^[i] but he will not succeed, for they will devise plans against him. ²⁶ And those who eat of his royal rations will break him and his army will be overwhelmed, and many will fall, slain. ²⁷ And two of the kings^[j] will bend their hearts^[k] to evil. And at the same table^[l] they will speak lies, but what is discussed will not succeed, for still an end is coming at the appointed time. ²⁸ Then he will return to his land with many possessions, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant,^[m] and he will take action and he will return to his land.

²⁹ “At the appointed time he will return and he will come into the south, but it will not be as it was before.^{[n] 30} And the ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart, and he will turn back, and he will be enraged against the holy covenant,^[o] and he will take action, and he will turn back, and he will pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.^{[p] 31} And military forces from him will occupy^[q] and will profane^[r] the sanctuary stronghold,^[s] and they will abolish the regular burnt offering, and they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

³² “And those who violate the covenant he will seduce with flattery, but the persons who know their God^[t] will stand firm and will take action. ³³ And those who have insight will instruct^[u] the many, but they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for some time.^{[v] 34} And when they fall^[w] they will receive little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. ³⁵ And even some of those who have insight^[x] will fall^[y] in order for them to be refined by it, and to be purified and cleansed until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.

³⁶ “Then the king will do as he pleases,^[z] and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things against^[aa] the God of gods, yet he will succeed until the period of anger is finished, for what is determined will be done. ³⁷ He will not pay respect to the gods of his ancestors,^[ab] or to the darling of women, and not to any god will he pay respect, for he will consider himself great over all gods. ³⁸ But instead^[ac] he will honor the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors^[ad] did not know. He will honor him with gold, and with silver, and with precious stones^[ae] and with costly gifts. ³⁹ And he will deal with the fortified strongholds^[af] with the help of a foreign god;^[ag] and he will increase wealth for whoever will acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule^[ah] over the many, and he will distribute land for a price.