⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies^(A) and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.^{(B) 6} It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.^{(C) 7} It was given power to wage war^(D) against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.^{(E) 8} All inhabitants of the earth^(F) will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life,^(G) the Lamb^(H) who was slain from the creation of the world.^[a](I)

²⁴ The ten horns^(A) are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. ²⁵ He will speak against the Most High^(B) and oppress his holy people^(C) and try to change the set times^(D) and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.^[a](E)

² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter^(A)—asserting that the day of the Lord^(B) has already come.^{(C) 3} Don’t let anyone deceive you^(D) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(E) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed,^(F) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(G) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(H)

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?^{(I) 6} And now you know what is holding him back,^(J) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(K) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(L) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(M) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^{(N) 9} The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(O) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(P) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(Q) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(R) 11} For this reason God sends them^(S) a powerful delusion^(T) so that they will believe the lie^{(U) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(V)