**Distinguishing End-Times Figures in Scripture 聖經中末世角色的清楚區分**

**1. All biblical references to “antichrist” come only from John’s letters

聖經裡所有「敵基督」的經文只出現在約翰書信**

1 John 2:18

“You have heard that the antichrist is coming; even now many antichrists have appeared.”
「你們曾聽見那敵基督的要來；現在已經有好些敵基督的出來了。」

1 John 2:22

“Who is the liar? It is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son—this is the antichrist.”
「否認耶穌為基督的，否認父與子的，就是敵基督的。」

1 John 4:3

“Every spirit that does not confess Jesus… this is the spirit of the antichrist.”
「凡不認耶穌的靈……就是那敵基督者的靈。」

2 John 1:7

“Many deceivers have gone out into the world… such a person is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
「世上有許多迷惑人的……這就是那迷惑人者、敵基督的。」

👉 All four occurrences come from John; the biblical usage is narrow and precise.
👉 所有 4 次出現都來自約翰，聖經用法非常清楚且範圍有限。

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**2. According to Scripture, “antichrist” is not one future figure

按照聖經，「敵基督」不是末世將出現的一個巨人**

From the text we know:

從聖經我們知道：

“Antichrist” refers to a kind of person, not one individual.
「敵基督」是一類人，而不是單一人物。

Those who deny Jesus is the Christ.
是否認耶穌為基督的人。

Those who deny the Father and the Son.
是否認父與子關係的人。

A spirit of deception, not an end-times emperor.
是一種迷惑人的靈，而不是末世政治統治者。

**3. A Scripture-based interpretation must respect biblical distinctions

合乎聖經的解釋必須尊重聖經本身的分類**

“Antichrist” (John) = anyone who denies Christ.
「敵基督」（約翰書信）＝否認基督的人。

“The Beast” (Revelation) = a symbolic apocalyptic figure.
「獸」（啟示錄）＝象徵性的啟示文學角色。

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**Who Is the Beast in Revelation?

啟示錄中的獸是誰？**

The “sea beast” = the political power of the Roman Empire.
「海中獸」＝羅馬帝國的政治權勢。

The “land beast / false prophet” = the religious system promoting emperor worship.
「地上獸／假先知」＝推動皇帝崇拜的宗教體系。

Together they represent a first-century political–religious machine that persecuted Christians.
兩者合起來象徵第一世紀逼迫基督徒的「政治＋宗教合體」。

Not a modern nation, not a future dictator, not a movie villain.
不是現代某國、不是未來獨裁者、不是電影反派。

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**The Great Harlot (Babylon)

大淫婦（巴比倫）**

The great harlot (who sits on the sea beast / the Roman Empire) symbolizes first-century Rome, also called “Babylon.”
大淫婦（騎在海中的獸／羅馬帝國身上），象徵第一世紀的羅馬城，也被稱為「巴比倫」。

Her sitting on the beast shows that the city depended on the political and military power of the Roman Empire.
她騎在獸上，表示這座城市倚靠羅馬帝國的政治與軍事權勢。

At the same time, she guided the empire’s economy, religion, and luxury, becoming a corrupt system that deceived nations.
同時她也主導帝國的經濟、宗教與奢華文化，是迷惑列國的敗壞體系。

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**The Sea Beast

海中獸**

The sea beast represents the entire power structure of the Roman Empire.
海中獸象徵整個羅馬帝國的權力結構。

They cannot be called “antichrist,” because “antichrist” refers to people who deny Christ, not cities or empires.
大淫婦與海中獸不能被稱為「敵基督」，因為「敵基督」指否認基督的一類人，而不是城市或帝國。

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**The Land Beast / False Prophet

地上獸／假先知**

The land beast (the false prophet) represents the religious force promoting emperor worship.
地上獸（假先知）代表推動皇帝崇拜的宗教勢力。

He can be considered part of the “antichrist” category because he directly deceives people into denying Christ.
他可以被歸類為「敵基督」的一部分，因為他直接迷惑人否認基督。

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**Summary

總結**

Simply put: the great harlot = the city of Rome; the sea beast = the Roman Empire; the land beast = the false prophet/religious deceiver — and only the land beast fits the category of “antichrist-type people.”

簡單說：大淫婦＝羅馬城；海中獸＝羅馬帝國；地上獸＝假先知／宗教欺騙者，而只有地上獸屬於「敵基督類型的人」。

In Revelation, the “land beast (false prophet)” refers to the first-century Roman religious system that promoted emperor worship and deceived the people.
在啟示錄中，「地上獸（假先知）」指的是第一世紀羅馬帝國用宗教力量推動皇帝崇拜、迷惑百姓的宗教體系。

Scripture classifies him as part of the “antichrist-type category,” because his role is to make people deny Christ and turn to false gods.
聖經把他歸類為「敵基督類型的人」的一部分，因為他的功能是使人否認基督、轉向假神。

Although rooted in Roman history, this pattern extends to any modern system that uses religion, authority, or spiritual language to deceive people and draw them away from truth.
雖然原本的歷史背景是羅馬帝國，但這個模式延伸到今日世界中所有利用宗教、權力、或靈性語言來迷惑人、使人遠離真理的體系。

Simply put: any system that uses “worship,” “faith,” or “revelation” to lead people away from Christ is repeating the pattern of "the land beast (false prophet)".

簡單說：凡以「敬拜」「信仰」「啟示」為名，卻使人遠離基督的體系，都在複製「地上獸（假先知）」的模式。

**Why do conservative Churches of Christ interpret it this way?

為何保守派這樣解讀？**

Revelation addressed first-century believers suffering under Rome.
啟示錄寫給在羅馬逼迫下受苦的第一世紀信徒。

“Seven hills” clearly point to Rome; emperor worship was mandatory.
「七座山」清楚指向羅馬；皇帝崇拜是強制制度。

666 matches Nero Caesar in Hebrew gematria, though the Beast symbolizes the whole imperial system.
666 與尼祿希伯來文數值吻合，但獸象徵整個帝國體系。

Historical-grammatical interpretation rejects futurist speculation.
歷史文法解經拒絕未來主義的猜測。

Principle today: any regime demanding loyalty to worldly values reflects the Beast pattern.
今日原則：凡要求向世界價值下拜、逼迫真理的政權，都反映獸的模式。

**Other terms the Bible distinguishes

聖經區分的其他角色**

**1. “The man of lawlessness” — 2 Thessalonians

1.「不法之人」——帖撒羅尼迦後書**

Primary Passage on “The man of lawlessness”

「不法之人」的主要經文**

2 Thessalonians 2:3（帖撒羅尼迦後書 2:3）

“Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.”
「不要讓人用任何方法迷惑你們；因為那日子以前，必有離道反教的事，並有那不法之人，就是沉淪之子，顯露出來。」

2 Thessalonians 2:4（帖撒羅尼迦後書 2:4）

“He opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
「他是抵擋主、高抬自己，超過一切稱為神的和一切受人敬拜的，甚至坐在神的殿裡，自稱是神。」

2 Thessalonians 2:6–7（帖撒羅尼迦後書 2:6–7）

“And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.”
「現在你們也知道那攔阻他的，是叫他到了時候才可以顯露。因為那不法的隱意已經發動，只是現在有一位攔阻的，等到那位被除去。」

2 Thessalonians 2:8（帖撒羅尼迦後書 2:8）

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.”
「那時這不法的人必顯露出來，主耶穌要用口中的氣滅絕他，用降臨的榮光廢掉他。」

One future individual who will be revealed at the appointed time; no one knows his identity now.
一個將來顯露的個別人物，現在沒有人知道是誰。

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**2. “False christs” — Matthew 24

2.「假基督」——馬太福音 24 章**

A category of deceivers who arise in the last days.
一類在末期迷惑人的假教師。

Matthew 24:23–24（馬太福音 24:23–24）

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!' do not believe it.”
「那時若有人對你們說：『看哪，基督在這裡！』或說：『基督在那裡！』你們不要信。」

“For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
「因為假基督、假先知將要起來，顯大神蹟大奇事；倘若能行，連選民也要迷惑。」

👉 主自己用 “false christs” 這個詞。
👉 明確指出有多個、不是一個。

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**Final Unified Conclusion

最終統一結論**

“Antichrist,” in the biblical sense, refers broadly to all who oppose or deny Christ.
「敵基督」在聖經中的涵義，廣泛指所有反對或否認基督的人。

Across the entire Bible, this category includes:
在整本聖經中，屬於這個範圍的包括：

1. The man of lawlessness — a future figure who exalts himself against God.
   不法之人——將來要顯露、抵擋神、自高自大的角色。

2. False christs — deceivers who pretend to be Christ in the last days.
   假基督——在末期假冒基督迷惑人的欺騙者。

3. The land beast (false prophet) — the Revelation figure who leads people into false worship.
   地上獸（假先知）——啟示錄中引導人拜假神的象徵角色。

4. And all who deny the Father and the Son, as defined in John’s letters.
   以及所有否認父與子的群體（約翰書信的定義）。

Though their names differ to highlight distinct functions, they all share one spiritual direction: opposing Christ.
雖然名稱不同、功能各異，但屬靈方向一致：都站在反對基督的一邊。