³ Then another sign appeared in heaven:^(A) an enormous red dragon^(B) with seven heads^(C) and ten horns^(D) and seven crowns^(E) on its heads. ⁴ Its tail swept a third^(F) of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.^(G) The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child^(H) the moment he was born. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”^[a](I) And her child was snatched up^(J) to God and to his throne. ⁶ The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.^(K)

⁷ Then war broke out in heaven. Michael^(L) and his angels fought against the dragon,^(M) and the dragon and his angels^(N) fought back. ⁸ But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent^(O) called the devil,^(P) or Satan,^(Q) who leads the whole world astray.^(R) He was hurled to the earth,^(S) and his angels with him.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven^(T) say:

¹³ When the dragon^(AD) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.^{(AE) 14} The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,^(AF) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,^(AG) out of the serpent’s reach. ¹⁵ Then from his mouth the serpent^(AH) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. ¹⁷ Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war^(AI) against the rest of her offspring^(AJ)—those who keep God’s commands^(AK) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.^(AL)

¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan^(A) fall like lightning from heaven.^{(B) 19} I have given you authority to trample on snakes^(C) and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”^(D)

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,^(A) and have it to the full.^(B)

¹² “Son of man, take up a lament^(A) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan^(A) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(B)

⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,^(A) let them be under God’s curse!^{(B) 9} As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,^(C) let them be under God’s curse!

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(A) do not believe every spirit,^(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^{(C) 2} This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh^(D) is from God,^{(E) 3} but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist,^(F) which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.^(G)