Bible Gateway passage: 2 Thessalonians 2 - New International Version (2024)

The Man of Lawlessness

2Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ^(A) and our being gathered to him,^(B) we ask you, brothers and sisters, ²not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter^(C)—asserting that the day of the Lord^(D) has already come.^{(E) 3}Don’t let anyone deceive you^(F) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(G) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed,^(H) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(I) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(J)

⁵Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?^{(K) 6}And now you know what is holding him back,^(L) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(M) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(N) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(O) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^{(P) 9}The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(Q) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(R) that serve the lie, ¹⁰and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(S) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(T) 11}For this reason God sends them^(U) a powerful delusion^(V) so that they will believe the lie^{(W) 12}and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(X)

Stand Firm

¹³But we ought always to thank God for you,^(Y) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits^[b](Z) to be saved^(AA) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit^(AB) and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴He called you^(AC) to this through our gospel,^(AD) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm^(AE) and hold fast to the teachings^[c] we passed on to you,^(AF) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

¹⁶May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,^(AG) who loved us^(AH) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, ¹⁷encourage^(AI) your hearts and strengthen^(AJ) you in every good deed and word.

Footnotes

1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin
2. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you
3. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Or traditions

Cross references

1. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 : S 1Th 2:19
2. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 : Mk 13:27; 1Th 4:15-17
3. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 : ver 15; 2Th 3:17
4. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 : S 1Co 1:8
5. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 : 2Ti 2:18
6. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 : S Mk 13:5
7. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 : Mt 24:10-12
8. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 : ver 8; Da 7:25; 8:25; 11:36; Rev 13:5, 6
9. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 : 1Co 8:5
10. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 : Isa 14:13, 14; Eze 28:2
11. 2 Thessalonians 2:5 : 1Th 3:4
12. 2 Thessalonians 2:6 : ver 7
13. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 : ver 6
14. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 : S ver 3
15. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 : Isa 11:4; Rev 2:16; 19:15
16. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 : S Lk 17:30
17. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 : S Mt 4:10
18. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 : Mt 24:24; Rev 13:13; S Jn 4:48
19. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 : S 1Co 1:18
20. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 : Pr 4:6; Jn 3:17-19
21. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 : Ro 1:28
22. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 : Mt 24:5; S Mk 13:5
23. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 : Ro 1:25
24. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 : Ro 1:32; 2:8
25. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 : S Ro 1:8
26. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 : Eph 1:4
27. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 : 1Th 5:9
28. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 : 1Pe 1:2
29. 2 Thessalonians 2:14 : S Ro 8:28; S 11:29
30. 2 Thessalonians 2:14 : 1Th 1:5
31. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 : S 1Co 16:13
32. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 : S 1Co 11:2
33. 2 Thessalonians 2:16 : S Php 4:20
34. 2 Thessalonians 2:16 : S Jn 3:16
35. 2 Thessalonians 2:17 : 1Th 3:2
36. 2 Thessalonians 2:17 : 2Th 3:3