²⁴ And ^(A)let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ^25 (B)not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ^(C)all the more as you see ^(D)the Day drawing near.

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now concerning ^(A)the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our ^(B)being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,^{[a] 2} 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. ^3 (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] 4} 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. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ 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.

¹⁶ For ^(A)the Lord himself will descend ^(B)from heaven ^(C)with a cry of command, with the voice of ^(D)an archangel, and ^(E)with the sound of the trumpet of God. And ^(F)the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be ^(G)caught up together with them ^(H)in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so ^(I)we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

² For you yourselves are fully aware that ^(A)the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then ^(B)sudden destruction will come upon them ^(C)as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you ^(D)are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all ^(E)children^[a] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then ^(F)let us not sleep, as others do, but let us ^(G)keep awake and ^(H)be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, ^(I)are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, ^(J)having put on the breastplate of ^(K)faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for ^(L)wrath, but ^(M)to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Our Heavenly Dwelling

5 For we know that if ^(A)the tent that is ^(B)our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, ^(C)a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent ^(D)we groan, longing to ^(E)put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed by putting it on^[a] we may not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal ^(F)may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, ^(G)who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that ^(H)while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for ^(I)we walk by faith, not ^(J)by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we ^(K)would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to ^(L)please him. ¹⁰ For ^(M)we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ^(N)so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.