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Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus to the assembly of Thessalonians in God our Father and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and [the] Lord Jesus Christ.

We ought to thank God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, because your faith increases exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all towards one another abounds;

so that we ourselves make our boast in you in the assemblies of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining;

a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer;

if at least [it is a] righteous thing with God to render tribulation to those that trouble you,

and to you that are troubled repose with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with [the] angels of his power,

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God, and those who do not obey the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who shall pay the penalty [of] everlasting destruction from [the] presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his might,

10 when he shall have come to be glorified in his saints, and wondered at in all that have believed, (for our testimony to you has been believed,) in that day.

11 To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil all [the] good pleasure of [his] goodness and [the] work of faith with power,

12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus [Christ] may be glorified in you and *ye* in him, according to the grace of our God, and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we beg you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him,

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.

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;

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.

Do ye not remember that, being yet with you, I said these things to you?

And now ye know that which restrains, that he should be revealed in his own time.

For the mystery of lawlessness already works; only [there is] he who restrains now until he be gone,

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;

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.

For the rest, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also with you;

and that we may be delivered from bad and evil men, for faith [is] not [the portion] of all.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep [you] from evil.

But we trust in the Lord as to you, that the things which we enjoin, ye both do and will do.

But the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of the Christ.

Now we enjoin you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the instruction which he received from us.

For ye know yourselves how ye ought to imitate us, because we have not walked disorderly among you;

nor have we eaten bread from any one without cost; but in toil and hardship working night and day not to be chargeable to any one of you:

not that we have not the right, but that we might give ourselves as an example to you, in order to your imitating us.

10 For also when we were with you we enjoined you this, that if any man does not like to work, neither let him eat.

11 For we hear that [there are] some walking among you disorderly, not working at all, but busybodies.

12 Now such we enjoin and exhort in [the] Lord Jesus Christ, that working quietly they eat their own bread.

13 But *ye*, brethren, do not faint in well-doing.

14 But if any one obey not our word by the letter, mark that man, and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed of himself;

15 and do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish [him] as a brother.

16 But the Lord of peace himself give you peace continually in every way. The Lord [be] with you all.

17 The salutation by the hand of me, Paul, which is [the] mark in every letter; so I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all.

Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(D)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

We ought always to thank God for you,(E) brothers and sisters,[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.(F) Therefore, among God’s churches we boast(G) about your perseverance and faith(H) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.(I)

All this is evidence(J) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy(K) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just:(L) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you(M) and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven(N) in blazing fire(O) with his powerful angels.(P) He will punish(Q) those who do not know God(R) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(S) They will be punished with everlasting destruction(T) and shut out from the presence of the Lord(U) and from the glory of his might(V) 10 on the day(W) he comes to be glorified(X) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.(Y)

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,(Z) that our God may make you worthy(AA) of his calling,(AB) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness(AC) and your every deed prompted by faith.(AD) 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,(AE) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]

The Man of Lawlessness

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(AF) and our being gathered to him,(AG) we ask you, brothers and sisters, 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(AH)—asserting that the day of the Lord(AI) has already come.(AJ) Don’t let anyone deceive you(AK) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion(AL) occurs and the man of lawlessness[d] is revealed,(AM) the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God(AN) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.(AO)

Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?(AP) And now you know what is holding him back,(AQ) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back(AR) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed,(AS) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth(AT) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.(AU) The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan(AV) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders(AW) that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.(AX) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.(AY) 11 For this reason God sends them(AZ) a powerful delusion(BA) so that they will believe the lie(BB) 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.(BC)

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,(BD) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[e](BE) to be saved(BF) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit(BG) and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you(BH) to this through our gospel,(BI) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,(BL) who loved us(BM) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage(BN) your hearts and strengthen(BO) you in every good deed and word.

Request for Prayer

As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(BP) pray for us(BQ) that the message of the Lord(BR) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.(BS) And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(BT) for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful,(BU) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(BV) We have confidence(BW) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts(BX) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(BY) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(BZ) every believer who is idle and disruptive(CA) and does not live according to the teaching[g] you received from us.(CB) For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(CC) We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(CD) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(CE) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(CF) 10 For even when we were with you,(CG) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(CH) shall not eat.”

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

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

Final Greetings

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

17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,(CR) 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.(CS)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 13, 15; 3:1, 6, 13.
  3. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Or traditions
  7. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition