主再来的先兆

弟兄姊妹,关于主耶稣基督再来和我们到祂那里相聚的事情, 我们现在奉劝你们:无论是什么灵,或是传闻,或是冒充我们写的信,说主的日子已经到了,你们都不要轻易动摇,也不要惊慌。 不管别人用什么诡计,你们都不要上当。因为那日子来临之前,必有离经叛道的事发生,而那不法之徒,就是那注定灭亡的人也要出现。 他会抵挡主,高抬自己超过一切所谓的神明和人们崇拜的对象,甚至坐在上帝的殿中以上帝自居!

我还在你们那里的时候,曾告诉过你们这些事,你们忘记了吗? 现在,你们知道是什么拦阻他,使他等到特定的时间才出现。 其实那不法之徒的阴谋已经在酝酿中,然而现在有一位在拦阻他。等到拦阻他的那位一离开, 他就会出现,但主耶稣会用自己口中的气毁灭他,用从天降临的荣光废掉他。

他来要按照撒旦的伎俩行各样虚假的异能、神迹和奇事, 10 用尽各样诡计欺骗那些将要灭亡的人,因为他们不喜欢接受那能拯救他们的真理。 11 上帝就让他们是非不辨,去相信那些虚假的谎言, 12 使一切不相信真理、反喜爱不义的人都被定罪。

要坚定不移

13 主所爱的弟兄姊妹,我们应该时常为你们感谢上帝,因为上帝一开始就拣选了你们,为了使你们借着圣灵得以圣洁,并且相信真理,从而得救。 14 上帝借着我们所传的福音呼召了你们,使你们可以得到我们主耶稣基督的荣耀。 15 所以,各位弟兄姊妹,务要坚定不移,无论是我们信上的教导还是口头的教导,你们都要坚守。

16 愿主耶稣基督和爱我们、开恩将永远的安慰和美好的盼望赐给我们的父上帝, 17 安慰你们的心,使你们在一切善行善言上刚强。

Evil Things Will Happen

Brothers and sisters, ·we have something to say about [L concerning] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and ·the time when we will meet [our assembly/being gathered] together with him. ·Do not [We ask/request that you don’t] become ·easily [quickly] ·upset [unsettled; shaken] in your thinking or ·afraid [disturbed; alarmed] if you hear that the day of the Lord has already come [C the time of Christ’s return and the judgments associated with it]. Someone may have said this ·in a prophecy [L by a spirit; or by the Spirit] or ·in a message [or by word of mouth] or in a letter as if it came from us [C a forged letter]. Do not let anyone ·fool [deceive] you in any way. That day of the Lord [v. 2] will not come until the ·turning away from God [great rebellion; apostasy; Matt. 24:11–12; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 2 Pet. 2:3; Jude 18] happens and the Man of ·Evil[a] [Wickedness; L Lawlessness; C probably the Antichrist; 1 John 2:18; Rev. 13], ·who is on his way to hell [L the son of destruction; John 17:12], appears. He will ·be against [defy; oppose] and ·put himself above [exalt himself against] any so-called god or ·anything that [any object that; or any place where] people worship [Is. 14:13–14; Ezek. 28:2–9; Dan. 11:36] ·and [or so that] he will even go into the Temple of God and sit there and ·say that he is [present himself as] God.

Don’t you remember that when I was with you I told you that all this would happen? And ·now [so] you know what is ·stopping that Man of Evil [L restraining him; holding him back; 2:3] so he will ·appear [be revealed] at ·the right [the proper; L his own] time. The ·secret power [or mystery] of ·evil [lawlessness; wickedness] is already ·working in the world [or at work], but there is one who is ·stopping that power [restraining it]. And ·he [or it] will continue to ·stop [restrain] it until ·he [or it] is taken out of the way [C this restrainer may be the Holy Spirit or human government, among other possibilities]. Then that ·Man of Evil [L evil/lawless one; 2:3] will ·appear [be revealed], and the Lord Jesus[b] will ·kill [destroy] him with the breath that comes from his mouth [Is. 11:4] and will ·destroy [annihilate; put an end to] him with the ·glory [brightness; splendor; or appearance; manifestation] of his ·coming [arrival; presence]. ·The Man of Evil [L …who; 2:3] will ·come [arrive] ·by the power [or at the instigation; L in accordance with the work/activity] of Satan ·and will have [or with; accompanied by] ·all kinds [or every kind] of ·false [counterfeit] ·miracles [powers], signs, and wonders. 10 He will use every ·kind of evil to trick [or wicked deception against/toward] those who are ·lost [perishing; heading toward destruction], because they refused to love the truth that would save them. 11 For this reason God sends them ·something powerful that leads them away from the truth [L a powerful/compelling/effective deception/error] so they will believe ·a lie [what is false]. 12 So all those will be ·judged guilty [condemned] who did not believe the truth, but ·enjoyed doing [delighted in; approved of] ·evil [wickedness; unrighteousness; injustice].

You Are Chosen for Salvation

13 Brothers and sisters, whom the Lord loves, God chose you from the beginning[c] to be saved. So we ·must [ought to] always thank God for you. You are saved by the ·Spirit that makes you holy [sanctifying work of the Spirit] and by your faith in the truth. 14 God used the ·Good News [Gospel] that we preached to call you to be saved so you can ·share in [obtain; possess] the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So, brothers and sisters, stand ·strong [firm] and ·continue to believe [hold fast to; grasp firmly] the ·teachings we gave you [L traditions you were taught] ·in our speaking and in our [L whether through our word or our] letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through his grace gave us eternal ·comfort [encouragement] and a good hope, 17 ·encourage [comfort] you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Man of Evil Some Greek copies read “Man of Sin.”
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Jesus Some Greek copies do not have “Jesus.”
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 God … beginning Some Greek copies read “God chose you as the firstfruits of the harvest.”

The Man of Lawlessness

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.[a] Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness[b][c] is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you this? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.[d] And then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by his appearing and his coming. The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, 12 so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Chosen for Salvation

13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning[e] to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit[f] and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

Footnotes

  1. 2.2 Paul warns against over-eagerness to expect the second Coming, and specifies various signs to be looked for first.
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Other ancient authorities read sin
  3. 2.3 the man of lawlessness: i.e., Antichrist.
  4. 2.7 Evil will operate secretly till the final unmasking.
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Other ancient authorities read as the first converts
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Or of spirit