The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ^(A) and our being gathered to him,^(B) we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² 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^(C)—asserting that the day of the Lord^(D) has already come.^{(E) 3} Don’t let anyone deceive you^(F) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(G) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed,^(H) the man doomed to destruction.

¹⁴ He called you^(A) to this through our gospel,^(B) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm^(C) and hold fast to the teachings^[a] we passed on to you,^(D) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,^(E) who loved us^(F) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, ¹⁷ encourage^(G) your hearts and strengthen^(H) you in every good deed and word.

²³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth^(A) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.^(B) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides!^(C) You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,^(D) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.^{(E) 26} Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.