2 Thessalonians 2

1 But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren,

Now [I want to write to you] about the time when our Lord Jesus Christ will return and when [God] will gather us together to [where Jesus] is. My fellow believers, I urge you

2 not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

that you think calmly [about any message] that [claims/says] that the Lord has [already] come again. Do not be shaken or alarmed/worried by any such message. [It does not matter] if [it is a message that someone claims God’s Spirit] revealed to him, or if [it is some other message that someone] has spoken, or whether [it is a message that someone claims] that I wrote in a letter.

3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

Do not allow anyone to deceive you in any way [with the result that you believe any such message]. 2 Thessalonians 2:3b-5 [The Lord] will not come [MTY] [immediately]. First, [many people] [PRS] will rebel [against God]. The result of their rebelling will be that [they will accept and obey] the man who will sin very greatly [against God].

4 and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

He will be the [supreme] enemy [of God]. He will [proudly] exalt himself above everything that [people] consider to be some god and above everything that people worship. [As a result of wanting people to worship him], he will [even enter] God’s Temple and sit down [there to rule]. He will publicly proclaim that he himself is God! But [God] will [certainly] punish that man forever!

5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this?

(I am sure that you remember that I kept telling you these things while I was still with you [there in Thessalonica]./Do you not remember that I continued telling you these things while I was still with you [there in Thessalonica]?) [RHQ]

6 And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

You also know that there is something (OR, someone) that is preventing this man [from being revealed] {[from revealing himself]}. This man is being (held back/restrained) [now] for him to be revealed {that he reveal himself} at the time that [God has planned] [MTY].

7 For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

[Although Satan] is already secretly causing [people] to reject [God’s] laws, (the one/God) who is preventing [this man from revealing himself] now [will continue to prevent him from doing that] until he/[God] removes him.

8 and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.

It is then that [God will allow] this man, who rejects [God’s] laws [completely], to be revealed {to reveal himself}. Then the Lord Jesus will destroy him, by simply commanding it [MTY]. Jesus, by his own glorious arrival, will cause him to become [completely] powerless.

9 The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works--

But [before Jesus destroys him], Satan will make him very powerful. As a result, he [will do all kinds of supernatural] miracles and amazing things [DOU] that will seem as though [God has enabled him to do them].

10 and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

And by doing wicked [things], he will completely deceive those who will [certainly] (perish/go to hell). [He will deceive them] because they will have refused to love the true [message]. So they will not be saved {God will not save them}. (questioned)

11 And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie;

So, God, by his power, will enable this man to easily deceive people, so that they will believe what [this man] falsely [claims/says that he is].

12 in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.

The result will be that everyone will be [rightly] condemned {that [God] will [justly] condemn everyone} [to be punished] who did not believe the true [message], but who instead gladly chose [to be doing] what is wicked.

13 And from us thanks are always due to God on your behalf--brethren whom the Lord loves--because God from the beginning has chosen you for salvation through the Spirit's sanctifying influence and your belief in the truth.

[Our] fellow believers, whom our Lord [Jesus] loves, we thank God very frequently for you. It is appropriate/right for us to do that, because God chose you (from the beginning [MTY] [of creation/before the world existed]) in order that he might save [you] as a result of [your] believing the true [message] and as a result of [God’s] Spirit setting you apart [for God].

14 To this blessing God has called you by our Good News, so that you may have a share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[We thank God that] he chose you as a result of our [proclaiming] the message about Christ [to you], in order that you might (share in/have) some of the glory that our Lord Jesus Christ has.

15 So then, brethren, stand your ground, and hold fast to the teachings which you have received from us, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

So, [our fellow believers, continue to be firm concerning what you believe]; that is, continue believing the [true] teaching that we gave to you by our speaking to you and by our [writing] a letter [to you].

16 And may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself--and God our Father who has loved us and has given us in His grace eternal consolation and a bright hope-- (aiōnios g166)

Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, our Father, loves us and encourages us and causes us to confidently expect [to receive] the eternal things that [he has promised to give to us] as a result of [Christ] acting kindly toward us in a way we did not deserve. (aiōnios g166)

17 comfort your hearts and make you stedfast in every good work and word.

[We strongly pray that] God and Jesus together will encourage you! And we pray that they will cause you to continue doing and saying things that God considers to be good.