2 Thessalonians 2

1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering to him.

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

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is 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 [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that 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 exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is 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 ye 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 ye know what withholdeth that he might 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 doth already work: only he who now restraineth [will] restrain, 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 shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of his coming:

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 [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan, with 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 with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received 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 And for this cause God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

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

12 That they all may be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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

13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief 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 To which he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining 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 ye have been taught, whether by word, or 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, even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope through 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 Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

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