That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

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not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter(A)—asserting that the day of the Lord(B) has already come.(C) Don’t let anyone deceive you(D) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion(E) occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed,(F) the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God(G) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.(H)

Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?(I) And now you know what is holding him back,(J) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back(K) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed,(L) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth(M) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.(N) The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan(O) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders(P) that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.(Q) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin

16 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

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The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple(A) saying to the seven angels,(B) “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”(C)

The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land,(D) and ugly, festering sores(E) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.(F)

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.(G)

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water,(H) and they became blood.(I) Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments,(J) O Holy One,(K)
    you who are and who were;(L)
for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,(M)
    and you have given them blood to drink(N) as they deserve.”

And I heard the altar(O) respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,(P)
    true and just are your judgments.”(Q)

The fourth angel(R) poured out his bowl on the sun,(S) and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.(T) They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God,(U) who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent(V) and glorify him.(W)

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(X) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.(Y) People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed(Z) the God of heaven(AA) because of their pains and their sores,(AB) but they refused to repent of what they had done.(AC)

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(AD) and its water was dried up to prepare the way(AE) for the kings from the East.(AF) 13 Then I saw three impure spirits(AG) that looked like frogs;(AH) they came out of the mouth of the dragon,(AI) out of the mouth of the beast(AJ) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(AK) 14 They are demonic spirits(AL) that perform signs,(AM) and they go out to the kings of the whole world,(AN) to gather them for the battle(AO) on the great day(AP) of God Almighty.

15 “Look, I come like a thief!(AQ) Blessed is the one who stays awake(AR) and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”(AS)

16 Then they gathered the kings together(AT) to the place that in Hebrew(AU) is called Armageddon.(AV)

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11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

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The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast

11 I saw heaven standing open(A) and there before me was a white horse, whose rider(B) is called Faithful and True.(C) With justice he judges and wages war.(D) 12 His eyes are like blazing fire,(E) and on his head are many crowns.(F) He has a name written on him(G) that no one knows but he himself.(H) 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,(I) and his name is the Word of God.(J) 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen,(K) white(L) and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword(M) with which to strike down(N) the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a](O) He treads the winepress(P) of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:(Q)

king of kings and lord of lords.(R)

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds(S) flying in midair,(T) “Come,(U) gather together for the great supper of God,(V) 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people,(W) free and slave,(X) great and small.”(Y)

19 Then I saw the beast(Z) and the kings of the earth(AA) and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse(AB) and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet(AC) who had performed the signs(AD) on its behalf.(AE) With these signs he had deluded(AF) those who had received the mark of the beast(AG) and worshiped its image.(AH) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake(AI) of burning sulfur.(AJ) 21 The rest were killed with the sword(AK) coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse,(AL) and all the birds(AM) gorged themselves on their flesh.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 19:15 Psalm 2:9