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2 Thessalonians 1-3
New King James Version

Greeting

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

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

2 (A)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Final Judgment and Glory

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that (B)we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God (C)for your patience and faith (D)in all your persecutions and [a]tribulations that you endure, 5 which is (E)manifest[b] evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, (F)for which you also suffer; 6 (G)since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with [c]tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled (H)rest with us when (I)the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 (J)These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and (K)from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, (L)to be (M)glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who [d]believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would (N)count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and (O)the work of faith with power, 12 (P)that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Great Apostasy

2 Now, brethren, (Q)concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (R)and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 (S)not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of [e]Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come (T)unless the falling away comes first, and (U)the man of [f]sin is revealed, (V)the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and (W)exalts himself (X)above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits [g]as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For (Y)the [h]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [i]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, (Z)whom the Lord will consume (AA)with the breath of His mouth and destroy (AB)with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is (AC)according to the working of Satan, with all power, (AD)signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among (AE)those who perish, because they did not receive (AF)the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And (AG)for this reason God will send them strong delusion, (AH)that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but (AI)had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Fast

13 But we are [j]bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God (AJ)from the beginning (AK)chose you for salvation (AL)through [k]sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for (AM)the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, (AN)stand fast and hold (AO)the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our [l]epistle.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, (AP)who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and (AQ)good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts (AR)and [m]establish you in every good word and work.

Pray for Us

3 Finally, brethren, (AS)pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and (AT)that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; (AU)for not all have faith.

3 But (AV)the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and (AW)guard you from the evil one. 4 And (AX)we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.

5 Now may (AY)the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

Warning Against Idleness

6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (AZ)that you withdraw (BA)from every brother who walks (BB)disorderly and not according to the tradition which [n]he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread [o]free of charge, but worked with (BC)labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have (BD)authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are (BE)busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and [p]exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ (BF)that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

13 But as for you, brethren, (BG)do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this [q]epistle, note that person and (BH)do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 (BI)Yet do not count him as an enemy, (BJ)but [r]admonish him as a brother.

Benediction

16 Now may (BK)the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 (BL)The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every [s]epistle; so I write.

18 (BM)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:4 afflictions
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:5 plain
  3. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 affliction
  4. 2 Thessalonians 1:10 NU, M have believed
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 NU the Lord
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 NU lawlessness
  7. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 NU omits as God
  8. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 hidden truth
  9. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 Or he
  10. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 under obligation
  11. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 being set apart by
  12. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 letter
  13. 2 Thessalonians 2:17 strengthen
  14. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 NU, M they
  15. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Lit. for nothing
  16. 2 Thessalonians 3:12 encourage
  17. 2 Thessalonians 3:14 letter
  18. 2 Thessalonians 3:15 warn
  19. 2 Thessalonians 3:17 letter
Listen to 2 Thessalonians 1-3
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2 Thessalonians 1-3
New International Version

1 Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

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

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

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 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) 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast(G) about your perseverance and faith(H) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.(I)

5 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. 6 God is just:(L) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you(M) 7 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) 8 He will punish(Q) those who do not know God(R) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(S) 9 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

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(AF) and our being gathered to him,(AG) 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(AH)—asserting that the day of the Lord(AI) has already come.(AJ) 3 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. 4 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)

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?(AP) 6 And now you know what is holding him back,(AQ) 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(AR) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 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) 9 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

3 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) 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(BT) for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful,(BU) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(BV) 4 We have confidence(BW) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts(BX) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

6 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) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(CC) 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(CD) 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,(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
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