帖撒羅尼迦後書 2
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
主再來的先兆
2 弟兄姊妹，關於主耶穌基督再來和我們到祂那裡相聚的事情， 2 我們現在奉勸你們：無論是什麼靈，或是傳聞，或是冒充我們寫的信，說主的日子已經到了，你們都不要輕易動搖，也不要驚慌。 3 不管別人用什麼詭計，你們都不要上當。因為那日子來臨之前，必有離經叛道的事發生，而那不法之徒，就是那註定滅亡的人也要出現。 4 他會抵擋主，高抬自己超過一切所謂的神明和人們崇拜的對象，甚至坐在上帝的殿中以上帝自居！
5 我還在你們那裡的時候，曾告訴過你們這些事，你們忘記了嗎？ 6 現在，你們知道是什麼攔阻他，使他等到特定的時間才出現。 7 其實那不法之徒的陰謀已經在醞釀中，然而現在有一位在攔阻他。等到攔阻他的那位一離開， 8 他就會出現，但主耶穌會用自己口中的氣毀滅他，用從天降臨的榮光廢掉他。
9 他來要按照撒旦的伎倆行各樣虛假的異能、神蹟和奇事， 10 用盡各樣詭計欺騙那些將要滅亡的人，因為他們不喜歡接受那能拯救他們的真理。 11 上帝就讓他們是非不辨，去相信那些虛假的謊言， 12 使一切不相信真理、反喜愛不義的人都被定罪。
要堅定不移
13 主所愛的弟兄姊妹，我們應該時常為你們感謝上帝，因為上帝一開始就揀選了你們，為了使你們藉著聖靈得以聖潔，並且相信真理，從而得救。 14 上帝藉著我們所傳的福音呼召了你們，使你們可以得到我們主耶穌基督的榮耀。 15 所以，各位弟兄姊妹，務要堅定不移，無論是我們信上的教導還是口頭的教導，你們都要堅守。
16 願主耶穌基督和愛我們、開恩將永遠的安慰和美好的盼望賜給我們的父上帝， 17 安慰你們的心，使你們在一切善行善言上剛強。
2 Thessalonians 2
Expanded Bible
Evil Things Will Happen
2 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. 2 ·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]. 3 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. 4 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.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I told you that all this would happen? 6 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. 7 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]. 8 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]. 9 ·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
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Man of Evil Some Greek copies read “Man of Sin.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Jesus Some Greek copies do not have “Jesus.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 God … beginning Some Greek copies read “God chose you as the firstfruits of the harvest.”
2 Thessalonians 2
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Man of Lawlessness
2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you, brethren, 2 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] 3 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, 4 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. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you this? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 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] 8 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. 9 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
- 2.2 Paul warns against over-eagerness to expect the second Coming, and specifies various signs to be looked for first.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Other ancient authorities read sin
- 2.3 the man of lawlessness: i.e., Antichrist.
- 2.7 Evil will operate secretly till the final unmasking.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Other ancient authorities read as the first converts
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Or of spirit
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.