What does the Bible say about the rise of the papacy?

The Apostle Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8, speaks of a 'falling away' and the revelation of a 'man of sin,' which many theologians interpret as a reference to the papacy. This passage outlines a time when this figure would oppose all that is God and would eventually be destroyed by the Lord at His second coming. Those who study scripture see this as a warning against the apostasy that the papacy represents, characterized by an exaltation of its leaders over God's authority and an emphasis on ritual and tradition rather than the truth of the Gospel.