2 Thessalonians 2

Events prior to the Lord’s Second Coming

1Now, dear brothers and sisters,#2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:13, 15. let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness#2:3a Some manuscripts read the man of sin. is revealed—the one who brings destruction.#2:3b Greek the son of destruction. 4He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

5Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 7For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

9This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

Believers Should Stand Firm

13As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first#2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning. to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

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2 Thessalonians 2

The Man of Lawlessness

1Now concerning #See 1 Thess. 2:19the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our #[Matt. 24:31; 1 Thess. 4:15-17]being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,#2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 13, 15 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or #Matt. 24:6; Mark 13:7alarmed, either #[1 John 4:1] by a spirit or a #ver. 15; [1 Thess. 5:2] spoken word, or #ver. 15; [1 Thess. 5:2] a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that #See 1 Cor. 1:8the day of the Lord has come. 3#Eph. 5:6Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, #1 Tim. 4:1unless the rebellion comes first, and #[ver. 8; Dan. 7:25; 8:25; 11:36; Rev. 13:5, 6] the man of lawlessness#2:3 Some manuscripts sin is revealed, #John 17:12; [Matt. 23:15]the son of destruction,#2:3 Greek the son of perdition (a Hebrew idiom) 4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, #[Isa. 14:14; Ezek. 28:2]proclaiming himself to be God. 5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7For #Rev. 17:5, 7the mystery of lawlessness #1 John 2:18; 4:3is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8And then #See ver. 3the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus #[Dan. 7:10, 11] will kill with #Isa. 11:4the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by #[1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13]the appearance of his coming. 9The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan #[Rev. 13:14]; See Matt. 24:24with all power and false signs and wonders, 10and with all wicked deception for #See 1 Cor. 1:18those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11Therefore #[1 Kgs. 22:22; Ezek. 14:9; Rev. 17:17] God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe #[1 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:2]; See Rom. 1:25what is false, 12in order that all may be condemned #Rom. 2:8who did not believe the truth but #See Rom. 1:32had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Firm

13But #ch. 1:3we ought always to give thanks to God for you, #1 Thess. 1:4; [Deut. 33:12] brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you #Eph. 1:4as the firstfruits#2:13 Some manuscripts chose you from the beginning #1 Thess. 5:9; [2 Tim. 1:9] to be saved, #See 1 Thess. 4:3through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14To this he called you through #1 Thess. 1:5our gospel, #[See ver. 13 above]so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, #See 1 Cor. 16:13stand firm and hold to #ch. 3:6; 1 Cor. 11:2the traditions that you were taught by us, either #ver. 2by our spoken word or by #ver. 2our letter.

16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, #John 3:16; 1 John 4:10; Rev. 1:5who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good #1 Pet. 1:3hope through grace, 17comfort your hearts and #ch. 3:3; 1 Thess. 3:13establish them in every good work and word.

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