The Great Apostasy

1Now we beseech you^p, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together to Him,   beg

2That you^p be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.   unsettled

3Let no man deceive you^p by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;   DAN 7:25 | son of destruction, damnation

4Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called god, or that is worshipped; so that he as god sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is god.   EZE 28:2

5Remember you^p not, that, when I was yet with you^p, I told you^p these things?

6And now you^p know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time.   restrains

7For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only He who now lets will let, until He be taken out of the way.   restrains; restrain

8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:   ISA 11:4 | Satan; slay

9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.   deception; referring to unbelievers

11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.   condemned