The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ^(A) and our being gathered to him,^(B) 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 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. ⁴ He 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)

⁵ Don’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. ⁷ For 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. ⁸ And 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, ¹⁰ and 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

¹³ But 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. ¹⁴ He called you^(AC) to this through our gospel,^(AD) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ So 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.

¹⁶ May 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, ¹⁷ encourage^(AI) your hearts and strengthen^(AJ) you in every good deed and word.

Request for Prayer

3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,^(AK) pray for us^(AL) that the message of the Lord^(AM) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.^{(AN) 2} And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,^(AO) for not everyone has faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful,^(AP) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.^{(AQ) 4} We have confidence^(AR) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts^(AS) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

⁶ In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,^(AT) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from^(AU) every believer who is idle and disruptive^(AV) and does not live according to the teaching^[d] you received from us.^{(AW) 7} For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.^(AX) We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked^(AY) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,^(AZ) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.^{(BA) 10} For even when we were with you,^(BB) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work^(BC) shall not eat.”

¹¹ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.^{(BD) 12} Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ^(BE) to settle down and earn the food they eat.^{(BF) 13} And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.^(BG)

¹⁴ Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,^(BH) in order that they may feel ashamed.^{(BI) 15} Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.^(BJ)

Final Greetings

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace^(BK) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.^(BL)

¹⁷ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,^(BM) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.^(BN)

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

¹⁸ Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters^(A) and sailed for Syria,^(B) accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.^(C) Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae^(D) because of a vow he had taken.^{(E) 19} They arrived at Ephesus,^(F) where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. ²¹ But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.”^(G) Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²² When he landed at Caesarea,^(H) he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.^(I)

²³ After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia^(J) and Phrygia,^(K) strengthening all the disciples.^(L)

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos,^(M) a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.^(N) He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[a](O) and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.^{(P) 26} He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila^(Q) heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia,^(R) the brothers and sisters^(S) encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures^(T) that Jesus was the Messiah.^(U)

Paul in Ephesus

19 While Apollos^(V) was at Corinth,^(W) Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.^(X) There he found some disciples ² and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit^(Y) when^[b] you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism^(Z) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”^{(AA) 5} On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^{(AB) 6} When Paul placed his hands on them,^(AC) the Holy Spirit came on them,^(AD) and they spoke in tongues^[c](AE) and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue^(AF) and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.^{(AG) 9} But some of them^(AH) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.^(AI) So Paul left them. He took the disciples^(AJ) with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for two years,^(AK) so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia^(AL) heard the word of the Lord.^(AM)

¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles^(AN) through Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured^(AO) and the evil spirits left them.

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits^(AP) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus^(AQ) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

¹⁷ When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus,^(AR) they were all seized with fear,^(AS) and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^{[d] 20} In this way the word of the Lord^(AT) spread widely and grew in power.^(AU)

²¹ After all this had happened, Paul decided^[e] to go to Jerusalem,^(AV) passing through Macedonia^(AW) and Achaia.^(AX) “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”^{(AY) 22} He sent two of his helpers,^(AZ) Timothy^(BA) and Erastus,^(BB) to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia^(BC) a little longer.

The Riot in Ephesus

²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.^{(BD) 24} A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.^{(BE) 26} And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus^(BF) and in practically the whole province of Asia.^(BG) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.^{(BH) 27} There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^{(BI) 29} Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius^(BJ) and Aristarchus,^(BK) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,^(BL) and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples^(BM) would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

³² The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.^(BN) Most of the people did not even know why they were there. ³³ The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned^(BO) for silence in order to make a defense before the people. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”^(BP)

³⁵ The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians,^(BQ) doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶ Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples^(BR) nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸ If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen^(BS) have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.^(BT) They can press charges. ³⁹ If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” ⁴¹ After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.