1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us – whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter – asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.3Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[1] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.5Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming.9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,10and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Stand firm
13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[2] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.15So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings[3] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 2
English Standard Version
The Man of Lawlessness
1Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,[1] (Mt 24:31; 1Th 2:19; 1Th 4:15)2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (Mt 24:6; Mr 13:7; 1Co 1:8; 1Th 5:2; 2Th 2:15; 1Jo 4:1)3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness[2] is revealed, the son of destruction,[3] (Da 7:25; Da 8:25; Da 11:36; Mt 23:15; Joh 17:12; Eph 5:6; 2Th 2:8; 1Ti 4:1; Re 13:5)4who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (Isa 14:14; Eze 28:2)5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. (1Jo 2:18; 1Jo 4:3; Re 17:5; Re 17:7)8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. (Isa 11:4; Da 7:10; 2Th 2:3; 1Ti 6:14; 2Ti 1:10; 2Ti 4:1; 2Ti 4:8; Tit 2:13)9The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, (Mt 24:24; Re 13:14)10and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (1Co 1:18)11Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, (1Ki 22:22; Eze 14:9; Ro 1:25; 1Th 2:3; 1Ti 4:2; Re 17:17)12in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (Ro 1:32; Ro 2:8)
Stand Firm
13But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits[4] to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. (De 33:12; Eph 1:4; 1Th 1:4; 1Th 4:3; 1Th 5:9; 2Th 1:3; 2Ti 1:9)14To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Th 1:5; 2Th 2:13)15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. (1Co 11:2; 1Co 16:13; 2Th 2:2; 2Th 3:6)16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, (Joh 3:16; 1Pe 1:3; 1Jo 4:10; Re 1:5)17comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (1Th 3:13; 2Th 3:3)