he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
In verse 4, the characteristics of the antichrist work themselves out, in the form of sin, in four different ways. The first sin of the antichrist is found in one who "opposeth" (antikeimai) God. "Opposeth" (antikimai) means "to be hostile to" God (Kittel, Vol. IV 655) or "to be adverse to, withstand" (Thayer 50-1-480), therefore, an adversary.