The Man of Lawlessness

1But we beseech you, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering unto him; 2that you be not suddenly shaken from your mind, nor disturbed, whether by a spirit, or through word, or a letter as by us, as that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way: because unless there may first be an apostasy and the man of lawlessness may be revealed, the son of perdition, 4the one opposing and exalting himself above everything that is called God or divinity; so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself off that he is God. 5Do you not remember that still being with you, I told you these things? 6And now you know that which hinders, that he should be revealed in his time. 7For already the mystery of lawlessness is working: only there is one now hindering, until he may be taken out of the midst; 8then indeed will the lawless one be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will remove by the spirit of his mouth, and will exterminate by the brightness of his coming; 9whose coming is according to the energy of Satan in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, 10and in all the deception of unrighteousness to those who perish; because they did not receive the divine love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And on this account God sends to them the working of delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12in order that they may all be condemned who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness.

Stand Firm

13But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; 14unto which He also called you through our gospel, unto the possession of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15Then therefore, brethren, stand, and hold fast the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or by our epistle:

16and our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, the one having loved us and given eternal consolation and good hope through grace, 17comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good work and word.