The Great Apostasy

Now, brethren, (A)concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (B)and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, (C)not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [a]Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come (D)unless the falling away comes first, and (E)the man of [b]sin is revealed, (F)the son of perdition, who opposes and (G)exalts himself (H)above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits [c]as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For (I)the [d]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [e]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, (J)whom the Lord will consume (K)with the breath of His mouth and destroy (L)with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is (M)according to the working of Satan, with all power, (N)signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among (O)those who perish, because they did not receive (P)the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And (Q)for this reason God will send them strong delusion, (R)that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but (S)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Fast

13 But we are [f]bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God (T)from the beginning (U)chose you for salvation (V)through [g]sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for (W)the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, (X)stand fast and hold (Y)the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our [h]epistle.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, (Z)who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and (AA)good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts (AB)and [i]establish you in every good word and work.

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 NU the Lord
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 NU lawlessness
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 NU omits as God
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 hidden truth
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 Or he
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 under obligation
  7. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 being set apart by
  8. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 letter
  9. 2 Thessalonians 2:17 strengthen

The Man of Lawlessness

Now concerning the coming(A) of our Lord(B) Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him: We ask you, brothers, not to be easily upset in mind or troubled, either by a spirit(C) or by a message or by a letter as if from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord[a](D) has come.(E) Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy[b] comes first and the man of lawlessness[c] is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god(F) or object of worship,(G) so that he sits[d] in God’s sanctuary,[e] publicizing that he himself is God.

Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I told you about this? And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time.(H) For the mystery of lawlessness(I) is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of His mouth(J) and will bring him to nothing with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders,(K) 10 and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved.(L) 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false, 12 so that all will be condemned(M)—those who did not believe(N) the truth but enjoyed unrighteousness.

Stand Firm

13 But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning[f] God has chosen(O) you for salvation through sanctification(P) by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory(Q) of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm(R) and hold to the traditions you were taught,(S) either by our message or by our letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved(T) us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 Other mss read Christ
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Or rebellion
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Other mss read man of sin
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Other mss add as God
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Or temple
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Other mss read because as a firstfruit

Evil Things Will Happen

Brothers and sisters, we have something to say about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We want to talk to you about that time when we will meet together with him. Don’t let yourselves be easily upset or worried if you hear that the day of the Lord has already come. Someone might say that this idea came from us—in something the Spirit told us, or in something we said, or in a letter we wrote. Don’t be fooled by anything they might say. That day of the Lord will not come until the turning away from God happens. And that day will not come until the Man of Evil appears, the one who belongs to hell.[a] He will stand against and put himself above everything that people worship or think is worthy of worship. He will even go into God’s Temple[b] and sit there, claiming that he is God.

I told you before that all these things would happen. Remember? And you know what is stopping that Man of Evil now. He is being stopped now so that he will appear at the right time. The secret power of evil is already working in the world now. But there is one who is stopping that secret power of evil. And he will continue to stop it until he is taken out of the way. Then that Man of Evil will appear. But the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath that comes from his mouth. The Lord will come in a way that everyone will see, and that will be the end of the Man of Evil.

When that Man of Evil comes, it will be the work of Satan. He will come with great power, and he will do all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders. 10 The Man of Evil will use every kind of evil to fool those who are lost. They are lost because they refused to love the truth and be saved. 11 So God will send them something powerful that leads them away from the truth and causes them to believe a lie. 12 They will all be condemned because they did not believe the truth and because they enjoyed doing evil.

You Are Chosen for Salvation

13 Brothers and sisters, you are people the Lord loves. And we always thank God for you. That’s what we should do, because God chose you to be some of the first people[c] to be saved. You are saved by the Spirit making you holy and by your faith in the truth. 14 God chose you to have that salvation. He chose you by using the Good News that we told you. You were chosen so that you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So, brothers and sisters, stand strong and continue to believe the teachings we gave you when we were there and by letter.

16-17 We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father will comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say. God loved us and gave us through his grace a wonderful hope and comfort that has no end.

Notas al pie

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 belongs to hell Literally, “is the son of destruction.”
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Temple Probably the Temple in Jerusalem. See “Temple” in the Word List.
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 to be … people Some Greek copies say, “from the beginning.”