¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place^(A) ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’^[a](B) spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—

³¹ “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice.^(A) Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.^(B)

⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(A) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(B)

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod^(A) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. ² But exclude the outer court;^(B) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.^(C) They will trample on the holy city^(D) for 42 months.^{(E) 3} And I will appoint my two witnesses,^(F) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,^(G) clothed in sackcloth.”^(H)

⁷ Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast^(A) that comes up from the Abyss^(B) will attack them,^(C) and overpower and kill them.

⁸ Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city^(A)—which is figuratively called Sodom^(B) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.^(C)

The Beast out of the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth.^(A) It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.^(B)

¹⁵ The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship^(A) the image to be killed.^(B)

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed^(A) it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.