Bible verses about "antichrist" | AUV

⁵ For many [false teachers] will come, claiming to be me, and saying, ‘I am the Christ [i.e., God’s specially chosen one]’ and they will lead many people away [from the truth].

⁴ [for] he opposes [the true Gospel message] and exalts himself against everything that is called “God” or that which is worshiped. So, he sits in God’s temple [i.e., the church ?] displaying himself as [though he were] God.

¹ Loved ones, do not believe [the message of] every spirit [i.e., every person claiming to be a teacher], but test the spirits [i.e., require proof that they and their message are genuine] to see whether they represent God [or not], because many false prophets have begun circulating throughout the world. ² Here is how to know [who is speaking from] the Holy Spirit of God: Every spirit [i.e., person] who proclaims that Jesus Christ has come [to earth] in a physical body is [speaking] from God. [See I Cor. 12:3]. ³ But every spirit who does not proclaim [this truth about] Jesus is not [speaking] from God. And this [person] represents the spirit of the antichrist [See 2:18-22; II John 7], whom you have heard would come. Well, now he is already here!

²⁰ But the beast was captured, along with the false prophet [See 16:13], who performed [supernatural] signs in his presence. [He had performed these signs] to deceive those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his statue. [See 13:15-16]. The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur.

¹⁶ And this second beast forced everyone to be branded with a mark on their right hand and on their forehead --- insignificant and important people, rich and poor people, and free people and slaves --- ¹⁷ so that no one would be able to buy or sell things without having the mark, either the name of the [first] beast or the number of his name.

¹ And I saw a beast coming up out of the ocean. It had ten horns and seven heads, and [it had] ten crowns on his horns and on each head there was a blasphemous name [i.e., a name that slandered God].

²⁴ For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will perform great [miraculous] signs and [supernatural] wonders in order to lead astray even the elect [i.e., God’s people], if possible.

⁶ [For] many [false teachers] will come, claiming to be me, and saying, ‘I am [the Christ] and they will lead many people astray.

²² For false Christs and false prophets will appear and they will perform [miraculous] signs and [supernatural] wonders in order to lead astray [even] the elect, if possible.

³ But every spirit who does not proclaim [this truth about] Jesus is not [speaking] from God. And this [person] represents the spirit of the antichrist [See 2:18-22; II John 7], whom you have heard would come. Well, now he is already here!

¹⁸ Dear children, it is [now] the last hour [i.e., the final period of God’s dealing with people on earth], and since you have heard that an antichrist [i.e., a person who is against Christ] is coming, even now [you should be aware that] many antichrists have [already] come. This is [one way] we know that this is the last hour.

³ Do not allow anyone to deceive you in any way, for it will not occur until the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness becomes evident. [Note: This “rebellion” refers to a significant falling away from the teaching and practice of true Christianity (See I Tim. 4:1), characterized by the rise of an authoritarian religious leader]. This man is doomed to be destroyed ⁴ [for] he opposes [the true Gospel message] and exalts himself against everything that is called “God” or that which is worshiped. So, he sits in God’s temple [i.e., the church ?] displaying himself as [though he were] God. ⁵ Do you not remember that I used to tell you these things when I was still with you? ⁶ [But] for now, there is something holding him back [i.e., holding back the man of lawlessness from emerging, See verses 3-4], and you people know what it is. [It is restraining him] so that he will not be revealed until his own [due] time. ⁷ For this mysterious lawlessness is already at work [or, “this lawlessness is already secretly at work”]; but the one who is holding it back [will continue to do so] until he is removed. ⁸ And then the lawless person [See verse 3] will be revealed, the one whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the brilliant appearance of His presence [i.e., at His second coming]. ⁹ The coming [of this lawless person] is according to the work of Satan, [and will be] attended by all kinds of powerful [i.e., miraculous] signs and false wonders, ¹⁰ and all kinds of wicked deception toward those people who are perishing [spiritually], because they refused to love the truth so they could be saved. ¹¹ And this is the reason that God sends them a strong delusion [to influence them]: It is so that they would believe the lie, ¹² in order that all those who have not believed the truth, but have taken pleasure in wrongdoing, would be condemned.

²² Who is the liar? It is the person who denies that Jesus [truly] is the Christ [i.e., God’s specially chosen One]. This person is the antichrist [See verse 18]; he is the one who denies [the truth about] the Father and the Son.

⁷ For many deceivers have begun circulating in the world; they are those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come [to earth] in a physical body. Such a person is the deceiver and the antichrist [See I John 2:18f].

¹ And I saw a beast coming up out of the ocean. It had ten horns and seven heads, and [it had] ten crowns on his horns and on each head there was a blasphemous name [i.e., a name that slandered God]. ² And the beast I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth like a lion’s. And the dragon gave him his power, his throne and his great authority. ³ And one of the beast’s heads looked like it had been fatally wounded, but the wound healed and the entire world was amazed and followed after him. ⁴ And they [all] worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to wage war against him?” ⁵ And the beast was given [by the dragon ?] a mouth for making proud claims and [speaking] blasphemous words, and the authority to act for forty-two months [See 11:2; 12:6]. ⁶ And he opened his mouth to speak slanderous words against God and against His name and His Tabernacle, that is, those living in heaven. ⁷ And he was given [the power] to wage war against the saints [i.e., God’s holy people] and to conquer them; and he was given authority over every tribe, race, language group and nation. ⁸ And everyone who lives on earth will worship the beast, [even those] people whose names had not been recorded in the book of life belonging to the Lamb, who was killed [in prospect] from the creation of the world. [Note: This sentence could also read “...not been recorded from the creation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed”]. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, he should listen [to this]. ¹⁰ If anyone goes [or “leads others”] into captivity, he will go into captivity [himself]; if anyone is killed [or “kills others”] with the sword, he will be killed with the sword [himself]. Here is [where] God’s holy people [need] perseverance and faith. ¹¹ Then I saw another [i.e., a second] beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast [See verse 1] in his presence [or, “on his behalf”]. And he forced the earth and those who lived on it to worship the first beast, whose [apparently] fatal wound had healed. ¹³ And he [i.e., this second beast] performs great [miraculous] signs, including making fire come down from heaven to earth in [full] view of people. ¹⁴ [And] by being given [power] to perform these signs in the sight of the [first] beast, he deceived the people on earth. He told them to make a statue to [honor] the [first] beast, who had been wounded by a sword and yet lived [through it]. ¹⁵ Now the [second] beast was given [the power] to give breath to the statue of the [first] beast, so that it could both speak and cause all those who refused to worship the statue of the [first] beast to be killed. ¹⁶ And this second beast forced everyone to be branded with a mark on their right hand and on their forehead --- insignificant and important people, rich and poor people, and free people and slaves --- ¹⁷ so that no one would be able to buy or sell things without having the mark, either the name of the [first] beast or the number of his name. ¹⁸ This calls for wisdom; the person who has understanding should calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. And his number is six hundred and sixty-six.