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The Man of Lawlessness

Now we ask you, (A)brothers, with regard to the [a](B)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our (C)gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken in your mind or be alarmed whether by a (D)spirit or a (E)word or a (F)letter as if from us, to the effect that (G)the day of the Lord (H)has come. (I)Let no one in any way deceive you, for it has not come unless the [b](J)apostasy comes first, and the (K)man of lawlessness is revealed, the (L)son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above [c](M)every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the [d]sanctuary of God, (N)exhibiting himself as being God. Do you not remember that (O)while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know (P)what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For (Q)the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only (R)he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then that lawless one (S)will be revealed—whom the Lord [e]Jesus (T)will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the (U)appearance of His [f]coming— whose [g]coming is in accord with the working of (V)Satan, with all power and [h](W)signs and false wonders, 10 and with [i]all the deception of unrighteousness for (X)those who perish, because they did not receive the love of (Y)the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason (Z)God sends upon them a [j](AA)deluding influence so that they will believe [k]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [l]judged who (AB)did not believe the truth, but [m](AC)took pleasure in unrighteousness.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Or presence
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Or falling away from the faith
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Or everyone who is called God
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 The innermost part of the temple
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Some mss omit Jesus
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Or presence
  7. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Or presence
  8. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 Or attesting miracles
  9. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 Or every deception
  10. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 Lit work of delusion, cf. 2:7, 9
  11. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 Or the lie
  12. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 Or condemned
  13. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 Or approved

The Man of Sin

Now, about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together with him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken from your composure or disturbed by a spirit, a message, or a letter thought to be from us, which says that the day of the Lord has already come. Let no one deceive you in any way, because that day will not come until the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[a] is revealed—the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above everyone who is called God or every object of worship, so that he sits in the temple of God, displaying himself as God.

Do you not remember that, while I was still with you, I kept telling you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed in his own time. In fact, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is now holding him back moves out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with[b] the breath of his mouth and destroy when he appears in splendor at his coming.

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan, with every kind of miracle, that is, with false signs and wonders, 10 and with every kind of unrighteousness that deceives those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 And because of this, God continues to send them a strong delusion, so that they believe the lie, 12 in order that all those may be condemned who refused to believe the truth but instead delighted in unrighteousness.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some witnesses to the text read lawlessness. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Some witnesses to the text read slay by.