32. With flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong and take action.
33. Those who are wise among the people will give understanding to many, yet they will die by sword and flame, and be captured and plundered for a time.
34. When defeated, they will be helped by some, but many others will join them insincerely.
35. Some of the wise will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
36. “Then the king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, because what has been decreed will be accomplished.
37. He will not show regard for the gods of his fathers, the god longed for by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above all.
38. Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses — a god his fathers did not know — with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.
39. He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.
40. “At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood.
41. He will also invade the beautiful land, and many will fall. But these will escape from his power: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of the Ammonites.