1 Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you 2 not 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. 3 Let 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. 4 He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? 6 Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then 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; 9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and 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. 11 Because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion, that they should believe a lie, 12 that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But 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, 14 to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. 16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians · World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
2 Thessalonians 2 World English Bible British Edition (with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
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)