The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christf and our being gathered to him,g we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letterh—asserting that the day of the Lordi has already come.j 3 Don’t let anyone deceive youk in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellionl occurs and the man of lawlessnessa is revealed,m the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called Godn or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.o

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?p 6 And now you know what is holding him back,q so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it backr will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,s whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his moutht and destroy by the splendor of his coming.u 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satanv works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wondersw that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.x They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.y 11 For this reason God sends themz a powerful delusiona so that they will believe the lieb 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.c

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,d brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruitsb e to be savedf through the sanctifying work of the Spiritg and through belief in the truth. 14 He called youh to this through our gospel,i that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firmj and hold fast to the teachingsc we passed on to you,k whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,l who loved usm and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encouragen your hearts and strengtheno you in every good deed and word.