New Testament
2 Thessalonians 2
Overview
Paul turns to the letter's central crisis: the Thessalonians have been shaken and alarmed by a claim—whether by spirit, spoken word, or a forged letter "seeming to be from us"—that "the day of the Lord has come." He pleads with them not to be quickly unsettled, then corrects the error by an argument of sequence: that day cannot have arrived because two things must come first. The rebellion (apostasia) must come, and the "man of lawlessness," the "son of destruction," must be revealed—the one who exalts himself above every so-called god, taking his seat in the temple of God and proclaiming himself to be God. Paul reminds them he told them this in person and explains that something now "restrains" this figure so he is revealed only in his time; meanwhile "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work." When the lawless one is at last revealed, the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and bring him to nothing by the appearance of his coming. His coming is by Satan's power with false signs and wonders, deceiving those who perish because they refused to love the truth and so are sent a strong delusion. The chapter then pivots to comfort: God chose the Thessalonians "as the firstfruits to be saved," called them through the gospel to obtain the glory of Christ, so they must "stand firm and hold to the traditions" taught them—closing in prayer that Christ and God would comfort and establish their hearts.
1Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you
2not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come.
3Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.
4He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
5Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things?
6Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.
8Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
9even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11Because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion, that they should believe a lie,
12that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.
16Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
17comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.