The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers,

not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.

Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.

He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you?

And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way.

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.

The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,

and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.

For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,

in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.

Stand Firm

But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning (a) to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.

To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,

encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.

Footnotes

(a)2:13 Or God has chosen you as the firstfruits

Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you

not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come.

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion(a) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.

He 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.

Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things?

Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.

For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.

Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;

even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion, that they should believe a lie,

that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Firm

But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,

to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

Footnotes

(a)2:3 or, falling away, or, defection