2 Thessalonians 2

1 And we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him:

As to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being gathered to meet him, we beg you, Brothers,

2 That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

not lightly to let your minds become unsettled, nor yet to be disturbed by any revelation, or by any message, or by any letter, purporting to come from us, to the effect that the Day of the Lord is come.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,

Do not let any one deceive you, whatever he may do. For it will not come until after the Great Apostasy, and the appearing of that Incarnation of Wickedness, that the Lost soul,

4 Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God.

who so opposes himself to every one that is spoken of as a God or as an object of worship, and so exalts himself above them, that he seats himself in the Temple of God, and displays himself as God!

5 Remember you not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

Do not you remember how, when I was with you, I used to speak to you of all this?

6 And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time.

And you know now what the restraining influence is which prevents his appearing before his appointed time.

7 For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way.

Wickedness, indeed, is already at work in secret; but only until he who at present restrains it is removed out of the way.

8 And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him,

Then will ‘Wickedness Incarnate’ appear, but the Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his lips, and annihilate him by the splendour of his Coming.

9 Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,

For at the Coming of the Lord there will be great activity on the part of Satan, in the form of all kinds of deceptive miracles, signs, and marvels, as well as of wicked attempts to delude —

10 And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

to the ruin of those who are on the path to destruction, because they have never received and loved the Truth to their own Salvation.

11 Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying:

That is why God places them under the influence of a delusion, to cause them to believe a lie;

12 That all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity.

so that sentence may be passed on all those who refuse to believe the Truth, but delight in wickedness.

13 But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of God, for that God hath chosen you firstfruits unto salvation, in sanctification of the spirit, and faith of the truth:

But, Brothers, whom the Lord loves, it is our duty always to thank God about you, for, from the first, God chose you for Salvation through the purifying influence of the Spirit, and your belief in the Truth.

14 Whereunto also he hath called you by our gospel, unto the purchasing of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To this you were called by the Good News which we brought you, to attain to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle.

Stand firm then, Brothers, and hold fast to the truths that we taught you, whether by word or by letter.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God and our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope in grace, (aiōnios g166)

And may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and, in his loving-kindness, gave us unfailing consolation and good ground for hope, (aiōnios g166)

17 Exhort your hearts, and confirm you in every good work and word.

console your hearts, and strengthen you to do and to say all that is right.