³ While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”^(A) destruction will come on them suddenly,^(B) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.^(C)

² for you know very well that the day of the Lord^(A) will come like a thief in the night.^{(B) 3} While people are saying, “Peace and safety,”^(C) destruction will come on them suddenly,^(D) as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.^(E)

³ Don’t let anyone deceive you^(A) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(B) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed,^(C) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(D) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(E)

⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(A) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(B) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(C) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^(D)

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(A) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(B) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(C) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^(D)

¹¹ For this reason God sends them^(A) a powerful delusion^(B) so that they will believe the lie^{(C) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(D)

² But exclude the outer court;^(A) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.^(B) They will trample on the holy city^(C) for 42 months.^(D)

⁹ For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation^(A) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.^{(B) 10} The inhabitants of the earth^(C) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,^(D) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.