1 Now we beg you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, 2 that ye be not soon shaken in mind, nor troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as [if it were] by us, as that the day of the Lord is present. 3 Let not any one deceive you in any manner, because [it will not be] unless the apostasy have first come, and the man of sin have been revealed, the son of perdition; 4 who opposes and exalts himself on high against all called God, or object of veneration; so that he himself sits down in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Do ye not remember that, being yet with you, I said these things to you? 6 And now ye know that which restrains, that he should be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness already works; only [there is] he who restrains now until he be gone, 8 and then the lawless one shall be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall consume with the breath of his mouth, and shall annul by the appearing of his coming; 9 whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, 10 and in all deceit of unrighteousness to them that perish, because they have not received the love of the truth that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God sends to them a working of error, that they should believe what is false, 12 that all might be judged who have not believed the truth, but have found pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of [the] Lord, that God has chosen you from [the] beginning to salvation in sanctification of [the] Spirit and belief of [the] truth: 14 whereto he has called you by our glad tidings, to [the] obtaining of [the] glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or by our letter. 16 But our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us, and given [us] eternal consolation and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts, and establish you in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians · Darby Translation
2 Thessalonians 2 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (17)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Thessalonians 4:14–17; Mark 13:27; Matthew 24:31; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19
- 2 1 John 4:1–2; Mark 13:7; Matthew 24:4–6; 2 Thessalonians 3:17; 2 Peter 3:4–8
- 3 Matthew 24:4–6; 1 John 2:18; Ephesians 5:6; 1 Timothy 4:1–3; 2 Thessalonians 2:8–10
- 4 Ezekiel 28:2; Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:6–7; Isaiah 14:13–14; Ezekiel 28:6
- 5 2 Peter 1:15; Matthew 16:9; John 16:4; Galatians 5:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:10
- 6 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
- 7 1 John 4:3; Revelation 17:7; 2 Timothy 2:17–18; Revelation 17:5; Acts 20:29
- 8 Revelation 19:20–21; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 20:10; Revelation 19:15
- 9 Matthew 24:24; Revelation 19:20; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 11:3; John 4:48
- 10 1 Corinthians 1:18; Proverbs 1:7; 2 Corinthians 4:2–3; 2 Peter 2:12; John 8:45–47
- 11 Romans 1:28; John 12:39–43; 1 Timothy 4:1; Matthew 24:11; Psalm 81:11–12
- 12 Romans 1:32; Romans 8:7–8; Mark 16:16; Romans 2:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:9
- 13 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Romans 9:11
- 14 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 1:4–5
- 15 1 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Philippians 4:1
- 16 John 3:16; Romans 5:2–5; 1 Peter 1:3–8; Titus 3:4–7; Romans 8:24–25
- 17 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:2; Jude 24; Colossians 2:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
One may naturally enquire, what is that which withholdeth, and after that would know, why Paul expresses it so obscurely. What then is it that withholdeth, that is, hindereth him from being revealed? Some indeed say, the grace of the Spirit, but others the Roman empire, to whom I most of all accede. Wherefore?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
And again, speaking of Antichrist, he says, "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped." He points out here those who are called gods, by such as know not God, that is, idols.
… fire coming down out of heaven and consuming them, John meant that blow wherewith Christ in His coming is to strike those persecutors of the Church whom He shall then find alive upon earth, when He shall kill Antichrist with the breath of His mouth, then even this is not the last judgment of the wicked; but the last judgment …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Having called him "man of sin," and "son of perdition," He added, "Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders; and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." And see how He secures them; "Go not forth into the deserts, enter not into the secret chambers." He did not say, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And just as the mustard seed in one small grain contains many branches, so also this Faith has embraced in few words all the knowledge of godliness in the Old and New Testaments. Take heed then, brethren, and hold fast the traditions which ye now receive, and write them an the table of your heart.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)