The Man of Lawlessness

Now concerning (A)the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our (B)being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,[a] not to be quickly shaken in mind or (C)alarmed, either (D)by a spirit or a (E)spoken word, or (F)a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that (G)the day of the Lord has come. (H)Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, (I)unless the rebellion comes first, and (J)the man of lawlessness[b] is revealed, (K)the son of destruction,[c] 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, (L)proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For (M)the mystery of lawlessness (N)is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then (O)the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus (P)will kill with (Q)the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by (R)the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan (S)with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for (T)those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore (U)God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe (V)what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned (W)who did not believe the truth but (X)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 13, 15
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Greek the son of perdition (a Hebrew idiom)

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 and sisters, not to be easily upset or troubled, either by a prophecy[a](C) or by a message or by a letter supposedly from us, alleging that the day of the Lord[b](D) has come.(E) Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy[c] comes first and the man of lawlessness[d] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god(F) or object of worship,(G) so that he sits[e] in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God.

Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell 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 at the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie,(K) 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved.(L) 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 so that all will be condemned(M)—those who did not believe(N) the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2:2 Or spiritual utterance
  2. 2:2 Other mss read Christ
  3. 2:3 Or rebellion
  4. 2:3 Other mss read man of sin
  5. 2:4 Other mss add as God