3Don’t let anyone trick you in any way. That day will not come until people rise up against God. It will not come until the man of sin appears. He is a marked man. He is sentenced to be destroyed. 4He will oppose everything that is called God. He will oppose everything that is worshiped. He will give himself power over everything. He will set himself up in God’s temple. He will announce that he himself is God.

5Don’t you remember? When I was with you, I used to tell you those things.

6Now you know what is holding the man of sin back. He is held back so that he can make his appearance at the right time. 7The secret power of sin is already at work. But the one who now holds that power back will keep doing it until he is taken out of the way.

8Then the man of sin will appear. The Lord Jesus will overthrow him with the breath of his mouth. The glorious brightness of Jesus’ coming will destroy the man of sin.

9The coming of the man of sin will be Satan’s work. His work will be seen in all kinds of fake miracles, signs and wonders. 10It will be seen in every kind of evil that fools people who are dying. They are dying because they refuse to love the truth. The truth would save them.