Antichrist
The lawless one, the deceiver and God's adversary
Antichrist is a central figure in New Testament and Christian eschatology, known as the ultimate opponent of Christ and his people. The term 'antichrist' appears exclusively in the letters of John, where the apostle uses it both for any spirit or person who denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, and as a prophetic pointer toward an end-time figure who will deceive many. Paul refers to a related figure as "the lawless one" and "the son of destruction" – one who will exalt himself above everything called God and even set himself up in God's temple. In Revelation this opponent is linked to "the beast from the sea", which is given power over the peoples of the earth and wages war against the saints, but which is finally completely defeated at Christ's return. Old Testament prophecies, especially in Daniel concerning "the little horn" and the arrogant king, form an important background for these New Testament ideas. In this way several biblical traditions are woven together into the picture of a final opponent who ultimately bows under God's sovereign power.
Key events
Old Testament background in Daniel
Daniel's prophecies about a little horn that speaks great words against the Most High, and a king who exalts himself above every god, form an important background for New Testament concepts of the Antichrist.
8While I was studying the horns, another horn came up among them, a small one, and three of the first horns were torn out before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
מִשְׂתַּכַּ֨ל הֲוֵ֜ית בְּקַרְנַיָּ֗א וַ֠אֲלוּ קֶ֣רֶן אָחֳרִ֤י זְעֵירָה֙ סִלְקָ֣ת *ביניהון **בֵּֽינֵיהֵ֔ן וּתְלָ֗ת מִן־קַרְנַיָּא֙ קַדְמָ֣יָתָ֔א *אתעקרו **אֶתְעֲקַ֖רָה מִן־*קדמיה **קֳדָמַ֑הּ וַאֲל֨וּ עַיְנִ֜ין כְּעַיְנֵ֤י אֲנָשָׁא֙ בְּקַרְנָא־דָ֔א וּפֻ֖ם מְמַלִּ֥ל רַבְרְבָֽן׃
24The ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones, and he will bring down three kings.
וְקַרְנַיָּ֣א עֲשַׂ֔ר מִנַּהּ֙ מַלְכוּתָ֔ה עַשְׂרָ֥ה מַלְכִ֖ין יְקֻמ֑וּן וְאָחֳרָ֞ן יְק֣וּם אַחֲרֵיה֗וֹן וְה֤וּא יִשְׁנֵא֙ מִן־קַדְמָיֵ֔א וּתְלָתָ֥ה מַלְכִ֖ין יְהַשְׁפִּֽל׃
25He will speak against the Most High and wear down the holy ones of the Most High and try to change the appointed times and the law. They will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.
וּמִלִּ֗ין לְצַ֤ד *עליא **עִלָּאָה֙ יְמַלִּ֔ל וּלְקַדִּישֵׁ֥י עֶלְיוֹנִ֖ין יְבַלֵּ֑א וְיִסְבַּ֗ר לְהַשְׁנָיָה֙ זִמְנִ֣ין וְדָ֔ת וְיִתְיַהֲב֣וּן בִּידֵ֔הּ עַד־עִדָּ֥ן וְעִדָּנִ֖ין וּפְלַ֥ג עִדָּֽן׃
36The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be done.
וְעָשָׂ֨ה כִרְצוֹנ֜וֹ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיִתְרוֹמֵ֤ם וְיִתְגַּדֵּל֙ עַל־כָּל־אֵ֔ל וְעַל֙ אֵ֣ל אֵלִ֔ים יְדַבֵּ֖ר נִפְלָא֑וֹת וְהִצְלִ֙יחַ֙ עַד־כָּ֣לָה זַ֔עַם כִּ֥י נֶחֱרָצָ֖ה נֶעֱשָֽׂתָה׃
37He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, or for the one desired by women, or for any god, but will magnify himself above them all.
וְעַל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתָיו֙ לֹ֣א יָבִ֔ין וְעַל־חֶמְדַּ֥ת נָשִׁ֛ים וְעַֽל־כָּל־אֱל֖וֹהַּ לֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין כִּ֥י עַל־כֹּ֖ל יִתְגַּדָּֽל׃
38In their place he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.
וְלֶאֱלֹ֙הַּ֙ מָֽעֻזִּ֔ים עַל־כַּנּ֖וֹ יְכַבֵּ֑ד וְלֶאֱל֜וֹהַּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יְדָעֻ֣הוּ אֲבֹתָ֗יו יְכַבֵּ֛ד בְּזָהָ֥ב וּבְכֶ֛סֶף וּבְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָ֖ה וּבַחֲמֻדֽוֹת׃
39He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god, and those who acknowledge him he will greatly honor. He will make them rulers over many and will distribute the land for a price.
וְעָשָׂ֞ה לְמִבְצְרֵ֤י מָֽעֻזִּים֙ עִם־אֱל֣וֹהַּ נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר *הכיר **יַכִּ֖יר יַרְבֶּ֣ה כָב֑וֹד וְהִמְשִׁילָם֙ בָּֽרַבִּ֔ים וַאֲדָמָ֖ה יְחַלֵּ֥ק בִּמְחִֽיר׃
The warning about many antichrists
The apostle John warns the churches that many antichrists have already appeared, who deny the Father and the Son. This is a sign that the last hour has come.
18Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.
Παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν, καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ⸀ὅτι ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν· ὅθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν.
19They went out from us, but they never belonged to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. Their leaving showed that none of them belonged to us.
ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ⸂ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν⸃, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθʼ ἡμῶν· ἀλλʼ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν.
20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
καὶ ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου ⸀καὶ οἴδατε ⸀πάντες·
21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth.
οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν, καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν.
22Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.
τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀρνούμενος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ χριστός; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος, ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱόν.
Testing the Spirits
John urges believers to test the spirits, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh is the spirit of the antichrist.
1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Ἀγαπητοί, μὴ παντὶ πνεύματι πιστεύετε, ἀλλὰ δοκιμάζετε τὰ πνεύματα εἰ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν, ὅτι πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον.
2This is how you recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
ἐν τούτῳ ⸀γινώσκετε τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ· πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ ὁμολογεῖ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν,
3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and is already in the world.
καὶ πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ μὴ ὁμολογεῖ ⸀τὸν ⸀Ἰησοῦν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν· καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου, ὃ ἀκηκόατε ὅτι ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν ἤδη.
The Deceiver's Mark
In his second letter, John identifies the deceiver and the antichrist as the one who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.
7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
ὅτι πολλοὶ πλάνοι ⸀ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὸν κόσμον, οἱ μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐρχόμενον ἐν σαρκί· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πλάνος καὶ ὁ ἀντίχριστος.
The Lawless One Revealed
Paul describes the lawless one who will appear before the day of the Lord. He will set himself up in God's temple, claiming to be God, but the Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth.
1Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,
Ἐρωτῶμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, ὑπὲρ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡμῶν ἐπισυναγωγῆς ἐπʼ αὐτόν,
2do not be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed—whether by a spirit, or a word, or a letter supposedly from us—claiming that the day of the Lord has already come.
εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς ⸀μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι μήτε διὰ πνεύματος μήτε διὰ λόγου μήτε διʼ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς διʼ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ ⸀κυρίου.
3Let no one deceive you in any way. That day will not come until the rebellion takes place and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
μή τις ὑμᾶς ἐξαπατήσῃ κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον· ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀποστασία πρῶτον καὶ ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ⸀ἀνομίας, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας,
4who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, even seating himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
ὁ ἀντικείμενος καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν ἢ σέβασμα, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ ⸀θεοῦ καθίσαι ἀποδεικνύντα ἑαυτὸν ὅτι ἔστιν θεός.
5Don't you remember that I told you these things while I was still with you?
οὐ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ἔτι ὢν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ταῦτα ἔλεγον ὑμῖν;
6And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at his proper time.
καὶ νῦν τὸ κατέχον οἴδατε, εἰς τὸ ἀποκαλυφθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ⸀ἑαυτοῦ καιρῷ·
7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only the one who restrains it is holding it back for now, until he is taken out of the way.
τὸ γὰρ μυστήριον ἤδη ἐνεργεῖται τῆς ἀνομίας· μόνον ὁ κατέχων ἄρτι ἕως ἐκ μέσου γένηται.
8Then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and bring him to nothing by the splendor of his coming.
καὶ τότε ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ κύριος ⸀Ἰησοῦς ⸀ἀνελεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ,
9The coming of the lawless one is by the working of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders,
οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσία κατʼ ἐνέργειαν τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει καὶ σημείοις καὶ τέρασιν ψεύδους
10and with every kind of wicked deception aimed at those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ ⸀ἀδικίας τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις, ἀνθʼ ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς·
11For this reason God sends them a deluding power, so that they believe the lie,
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ⸀πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει,
12and so all who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness will be condemned.
ἵνα κριθῶσιν ⸀πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύσαντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἀλλὰ εὐδοκήσαντες ⸀τῇ ἀδικίᾳ.
The Beast from the Sea in Revelation
John sees in a vision a beast rising out of the sea, which is given authority over every tribe and nation. It makes war against the saints and speaks blasphemies against God, an image traditionally linked to the figure of the antichrist.
1Then I saw a beast rising out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
Καὶ εἶδον ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης θηρίον ἀναβαῖνον, ἔχον κέρατα δέκα καὶ κεφαλὰς ἑπτά, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κεράτων αὐτοῦ δέκα διαδήματα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτοῦ ⸀ὀνόματα βλασφημίας.
2The beast I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear's and its mouth like a lion's. And the dragon gave it his power, his throne, and great authority.
καὶ τὸ θηρίον ὃ εἶδον ἦν ὅμοιον παρδάλει, καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὡς ἄρκου, καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς στόμα λέοντος. καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ δράκων τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην.
3One of its heads appeared to have been slain unto death, yet its fatal wound had been healed. And the whole earth was filled with wonder and followed the beast.
καὶ μίαν ἐκ τῶν κεφαλῶν αὐτοῦ ⸀ὡς ἐσφαγμένην εἰς θάνατον, καὶ ἡ πληγὴ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ἐθεραπεύθη. καὶ ⸀ἐθαυμάσθη ⸂ὅλη ἡ γῆ⸃ ὀπίσω τοῦ θηρίου,
4They worshiped the dragon, because he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?"
καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ δράκοντι ⸂ὅτι ἔδωκεν⸃ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῷ θηρίῳ, καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ θηρίῳ λέγοντες· Τίς ὅμοιος τῷ θηρίῳ, καὶ τίς ⸀δύναται πολεμῆσαι μετʼ αὐτοῦ;
5The beast was given a mouth that spoke great boasts and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for forty-two months.
Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ στόμα λαλοῦν μεγάλα καὶ ⸀βλασφημίας, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ⸀ἐξουσία ποιῆσαι μῆνας ⸀τεσσεράκοντα δύο.
6It opened its mouth to blaspheme God—to slander his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
καὶ ἤνοιξε τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἰς ⸀βλασφημίας πρὸς τὸν θεόν, βλασφημῆσαι τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, τοὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ σκηνοῦντας.
7It was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation.
καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ νικῆσαι αὐτούς, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἐξουσία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν φυλὴν καὶ λαὸν καὶ γλῶσσαν καὶ ἔθνος.
8All who dwell on the earth will worship it—everyone whose name has not been written, from the foundation of the world, in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.[^1]
[^1]: Or: in the book of life belonging to the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ⸀αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ⸀οὗ οὐ γέγραπται τὸ ὄνομα ⸀αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου τοῦ ἐσφαγμένου ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.
The Final Defeat of the Beast
The beast and the false prophet are ultimately defeated and thrown alive into the lake of fire when Christ returns in glory, marking God's final victory over evil.
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and against his army.
καὶ εἶδον τὸ θηρίον καὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ τὰ στρατεύματα αὐτῶν συνηγμένα ποιῆσαι ⸀τὸν πόλεμον μετὰ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου καὶ μετὰ τοῦ στρατεύματος αὐτοῦ.
20But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs in its presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.
καὶ ἐπιάσθη τὸ θηρίον καὶ ⸂μετʼ αὐτοῦ ὁ⸃ ψευδοπροφήτης ὁ ποιήσας τὰ σημεῖα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, ἐν οἷς ἐπλάνησεν τοὺς λαβόντας τὸ χάραγμα τοῦ θηρίου καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας τῇ εἰκόνι αὐτοῦ· ζῶντες ἐβλήθησαν οἱ δύο εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς ⸂τῆς καιομένης⸃ ἐν θείῳ.
21The rest were killed by the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπεκτάνθησαν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἵππου τῇ ἐξελθούσῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν.
10And the devil, who had led them astray, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are as well, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
καὶ ὁ διάβολος ὁ πλανῶν αὐτοὺς ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου, ὅπου καὶ τὸ θηρίον καὶ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης, καὶ βασανισθήσονται ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.