Chapter 108

¹ That, then, after the kingdom of the Greeks no other kingdom has arisen except the one now in power, which still stands firm—this too is plain to all.

² This kingdom has iron teeth because it subdues and crushes all by its own strength, like iron; and “it trampled the remainder under its feet” because no other kingdom is to be left after this one, but out of this very kingdom ten horns will spring up, and among them one little horn will come up, and it will uproot three of the first.

³ For just as in the case of the leopard the prophet foretold that the beast had four heads, and it came to pass and the kingdom of Alexander was divided into four governments, so now too we must expect, until ten horns will come up out of this very kingdom, when the time of the beast is fulfilled and the little horn, which is the Antichrist, suddenly appears among them, and righteousness is taken away from the earth, and the whole world then comes to its consummation.

⁴ And so we must neither anticipate the counsel of God, but be patient and pray that we may not fall into such times, nor yet disbelieve, as though these things were not going to happen.

⁵ For if the first things, which the prophets foretold, did not come to pass, then do not expect these either; but if those came to pass in their own appointed times just as they were foretold, then by all means these too will be accomplished.

⁶ For the saying of some, “And when will these things be?”, belongs to men who are unbelieving and do not have faith; but to know beforehand the things that are to be and to believe that it will be so belongs to a blessed man, who knows and keeps silent, lest by speaking much he ever put himself in danger.