2 Thessalonians 2
1
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,
2
not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
3
Don'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.
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He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
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Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
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And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
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For 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.
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And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
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The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,
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and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
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For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
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and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
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But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you [2] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
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He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings [3] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
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May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
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encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
  1. [3] Some manuscripts sin
  2. [13] Some manuscripts because God chose you as his firstfruits
  3. [15] Or traditions