Greeting
2 THESSALONIANS 1 [†] a Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
3[†] b We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, [1] as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4Therefore c we ourselves boast about you d in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith e in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
The Judgment at Christ’s Coming
5[†]This is f evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be g considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6[†]since indeed God considers it h just i to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7[†]and to grant j relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when k the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven l with his mighty angels 8[†] m in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those n who do not know God and on those who o do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9[†]They will suffer the punishment of p eternal destruction, q away from [2] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10[†] r when he comes on s that day t to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our u testimony to you v was believed. 11[†]To this end we w always pray for you, that our God may x make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every y work of faith by his power, 12so that the name of our Lord Jesus z may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Man of Lawlessness
2 THESSALONIANS 2 [†]Now concerning a the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our b being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, [1] 2[†]not to be quickly shaken in mind or c alarmed, either d by a spirit or a e spoken word, or e a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that f the day of the Lord has come. 3[†] g Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, h unless the rebellion comes first, and i the man of lawlessness [2] is revealed, j the son of destruction, [3] 4[†]who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, k proclaiming himself to be God. 5[†]Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7For l the mystery of lawlessness m is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8[†]And then n the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus o will kill with p the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by q the appearance of his coming. 9[†]The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan r with all power and false signs and wonders, 10and with all wicked deception for s those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11[†]Therefore t God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe u what is false, 12in order that all may be condemned v who did not believe the truth but w had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Stand Firm
13[†]But x we ought always to give thanks to God for you, y brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you z as the firstfruits [4] a to be saved, b through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14[†]To this he called you through c our gospel, a so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15[†]So then, brothers, d stand firm and hold to e the traditions that you were taught by us, either f by our spoken word or by f our letter.
16Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, g who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good h hope through grace, 17comfort your hearts and i establish them in every good work and word.
Pray for Us
2 THESSALONIANS 3 [†]Finally, brothers, [1] j pray for us, that k the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, [2] as happened among you, 2and l that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For m not all have faith. 3[†]But n the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and o guard you against p the evil one. [3] 4And q we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5[†]May the Lord r direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Warning Against Idleness
6[†]Now we command you, brothers, s in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, t that you keep away from any u brother v who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7[†]For you yourselves know w how you ought to imitate us, because x we were not idle when we were with you, 8[†]nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but y with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9It was z not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves a an example to imitate. 10For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: b If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11[†]For we hear that some among you c walk in idleness, not busy at work, but d busybodies. 12[†]Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. [4]
13[†]As for you, brothers, e do not grow weary in doing good. 14[†]If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and f have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 g Do not regard him as an enemy, but h warn him as a brother.
Benediction
16[†]Now may i the Lord of peace himself j give you peace at all times in every way. k The Lord be with you all.
17[†]I, Paul, write l this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 m The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.