The Man of Lawlessness

1Now we ask you⁺, brothers, on behalf of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and of our gathering together unto Him, 2for you⁺ not quickly to be shaken in mind, nor to be alarmed, neither through spirit nor through word, nor through letter as through us, as that the day of the Lord† is present. 3Let no one deceive you⁺ in any way, because it is not unless the apostasy shall have come first, and the man of lawlessness† shall have been revealed—the son of destruction, 4the one opposing and exalting himself above every so-called god or object of worship—so as for him to sit down in the temple of God,† setting forth that he himself is God.

5Do you⁺ not remember that, being still with you⁺, I was saying these things to you⁺? 6And now you⁺ know what is restraining for him to be revealed in his own time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is working already, only the one at present is restraining it until he might be out of the midst. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay† with the breath of His mouth and will annul by the appearing of His coming, 9whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in every power and in signs and in wonders of falsehood, 10and in every deception of wickedness to those perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth in order for them to be saved. 11And because of this, God sends to them a working of delusion for them to believe the lie, 12so that all those not having believed the truth but having been well pleased in unrighteousness should be judged.

Stand Firm

13But we ought to give thanks to God always concerning you⁺, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you⁺ from the beginning† unto salvation in the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, 14to which also He called you⁺ through our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you⁺ were taught, whether by word or by letter from us.

16Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father,† the One having loved us and having given us eternal comfort and good hope in grace, 17may He comfort your⁺ hearts, and may He strengthen you in every good work and word.

Footnotes:

2 BYZ and TR the day of Christ
3 BYZ and TR the man of sin
4 BYZ and TR include as God.
8 BYZ and TR whom the Lord will consume
13 Or God chose you as the firstfruits
16 BYZ and TR our God and Father