The King of Syria who praises himself

36 The King of Syria will do what he wants to. He will boast and say that he is greater than any god. He will even revile the Supreme God. He will be able to do what he wants until the time that God punishes [MTY] him. God will accomplish what he has planned. 37 The King of Syria will ignore the god that his ancestors worshiped and the god that many women love. He will ignore every god, because he will think that he is greater than all of them. 38 But he will honor the god who people think protects fortresses. That is a god whom his ancestors did not honor. And he will give gold, silver, ◄jewels/very valuable stones► and other expensive gifts to that god. 39 He will ask that god (OR, people who worship a god) from another country to help him to defend his fortresses. He will greatly honor those who allow him to be their ruler. He will appoint some of them to important positions in the government; and to reward them, he will give them some land.

40 But when his time to rule is almost ended, the army of the King of Egypt will attack his army. The army of the King of Syria will fight against them furiously [SIM]. His soldiers will be driving chariots and riding on horses and traveling in many ships. His army will invade many countries and spread all over those countries like a flood [MET]. 41 They will invade the glorious land of Israel and kill [EUP] tens of thousands of people. But the people of the Edom people-group and the people of the Moab people-group and the people of the Ammon people-group who are still alive will escape. 42 When the army of Syria invades other countries, even the people of Egypt will be defeated. 43 The army of Syria will take away from Egypt gold, silver, and other valuable items. The people of Libya and Ethiopia will allow the King of Syria to rule over them. 44 But he will become very frightened/alarmed when he hears reports about what is happening in the east and in the north. So he will become very angry, and send his army to fight furiously and kill many of their enemies. 45 The King of Syria will set up his royal tents in the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the hill in Jerusalem on which the temple ◄exists/was built►. But he will be killed there, because there will be no one to help him.”