The Antichrist
The Man of Lawlessness, the Beast, the Son of Perdition
No figure in biblical prophecy generates more discussion — or more misidentification — than the Antichrist. The term 'antichrist' (Greek: antichristos) appears only in John's epistles (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7), where John says 'many antichrists have come.' Yet the broader biblical portrait of this figure is drawn from Daniel's 'little horn' and 'willful king,' Paul's 'Man of Lawlessness,' John's 'Beast from the Sea' in Revelation, and Jesus's warning about false christs. Understanding this figure requires synthesizing passages across six centuries of Scripture.
Key Verses
"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
— 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
"It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."
— Revelation 13:7-8
"He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time."
— Daniel 7:25
"Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour."
— 1 John 2:18
Names and Titles in Scripture
The figure is known by many names across Scripture: "the little horn" (Daniel 7:8), "the willful king" (Daniel 11:36), "the prince who is to come" (Daniel 9:26), "the man of sin / son of perdition" (2 Thessalonians 2:3), "the lawless one" (2 Thessalonians 2:8), "the beast from the sea" (Revelation 13:1), "the beast" (Revelation throughout), and "antichrist" (1 John 2:18). Each title emphasizes a different aspect of his character: his political power, his lawlessness, his opposition to God, and his counterfeit messianic claims.
The Number 666
Revelation 13:18 says the number of the Beast is 666, "the number of a man." In the ancient world, gematria (assigning numerical values to letters) was commonly used. "Neron Kaiser" (Nero Caesar) in Hebrew = 666. Some manuscripts read 616, which equals "Nero Caesar" in Latin. Futurists see 666 as a future mark of identification — possibly a microchip, barcode, or digital ID — required for buying and selling (Revelation 13:16-17). Others see it symbolically: 7 is the number of perfection; 6 is the number of man falling short; 666 represents the ultimate human counterfeit of divine perfection.
The False Prophet
Revelation 13:11-18 describes a second beast — the False Prophet — who serves the Antichrist, performs miracles, and enforces the Mark of the Beast. He is the religious counterpart to the Antichrist's political power. Together with Satan, they form a counterfeit trinity: Satan (counterfeit Father), Antichrist (counterfeit Son), and False Prophet (counterfeit Holy Spirit). Both the Beast and the False Prophet are thrown into the lake of fire at the Second Coming (Revelation 19:20).