To the Thessalonians 2
Greeting
1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you all and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example
3 We ought to give thanks to God always for you all, brothers, as He is worthy because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you all for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, we ourselves boast about you all in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and afflictions which you all are enduring.
The Judgment at Christ's Coming
5 This is the proof of the righteous judgment of God, for you all counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you all are also suffering — 6 if perhaps for God it is just to repay those who afflict you all with affliction, 7 and to you all who are suffering, rest with us in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those not knowing God and to those not obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with the punishment of eternal destruction away from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His might 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled in all those who believed because our witness to you all was believed in that day. 11 To this, we pray always for you all in order that our God may make you all worthy of His calling and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith in power 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you all and you all in Him, according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.
The Man of Lawlessness
2 Now, we ask you all, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him 2 not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled either by spirit or by a spoken word or a letter as from us as that the day of the Lord has come. 3 No one deceivea you all by any means because if the withdrawal does not come first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed: the son of destruction, 4 opposing and exalting himself against every so—called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself that he is God. 5 Do you all not remember that when I was still with you all I was saying these things to you all? 6 And now you all know what is holding back him, being revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already working. Only he is now holding back until he is out of the midst. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the appearance of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the working of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders 10 and in all unrighteous deception to those who are perishing, for those not receiving the love of truth, that they be saved. 11 And for this reason, God sends them strong deception that they believe what is false 12 in order that all, after not believing in truth and taking pleasure in unrighteousness, may be judged.
Stand Firm
13 But we ought to thank God always for you all, brothers, beloved by the Lord because God chose you all as firstfruitsb unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this, He also called you all through our gospel to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you all were taught, either through our word or through our letter.
16 But our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, after loving us and giving us eternal comfort and good hope in grace, 17 may He comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
Pray for Us
3 Finally pray, brothers, for us in order that the word of the Lord runc and be glorified, even as among you all, 2 and that we may be delivered from the wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful who will establish and guard you all from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you all that the things we command you all do and will do. 5 But may the Lord directd your hearts to the love of God and to the patience of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6 But we command you all, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking in idlenesse and not according to the tradition which you all received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate us because we were not idle among you all, 8 neither did we eat bread from anyone as a gift, but in labor and toil, night and day, we were working not to burden any of you all, 9 not that we do not have authority, but in order that we might give ourselves to you all as an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you all, we were commanding this to you all: if anyone does not wish to work, he does not eat. 11 For we hear some walking among you all idly, not working but busybodies. 12 Now to such persons, we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ that with silence, they work and eat their own bread.
13 But you all, brothers, do not grow wearyf doing good. 14 But if anyone does not obey our word through this letter, take note of that person not to associate with him that he may be ashamed. 15 And do not thinkg of him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Benediction
16 Now, may the Lord of peace Himself give you all peace always in every place. The Lord be with you all.
17 This greeting is in my hand, Paul which is a sign in every letter; so I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you all.