The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, concerning the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and our gathering together to Him, ² not to get shaken out of your mind or disturbed—either by a spirit or a word or a letter as if through us—as though the Day of the Lord^[a] has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way, for the Day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the one destined to be destroyed. ^{[b] 4} He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the Temple of God, proclaiming himself that he is God.^[c]

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I was telling you these things? ⁶ And you know what now holds back, for him to be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already operating; only there is one who holds back just now, until he is taken out of the way. ⁸ Then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Yeshua will slay him with the breath of His mouth and wipe him out with the appearance of His coming. ^{[d] 9} The coming of the lawless one is connected to the activity of satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, ¹⁰ and with every kind of wicked deception toward those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God sends them a delusional force, to lead them to believe what is false, ^{[e] 12} so that they may be judged—all those who did not believe the truth but delighted in wickedness.^[f]

Firstfruits of Salvation

¹³ But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits for salvation^[g] through sanctification by the Ruach and belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to this salvation through our proclaiming the Good News, for you to gain the glory of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by our letter.

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Yeshua the Messiah Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, ¹⁷ comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good deed and word.