2 Thessalonians 1-2

New American Standard Bible

Giving Thanks for Faith and Perseverance

1 ^(A)Paul, ^(B)Silvanus, and ^(C)Timothy,

To the ^(D)church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ^2 (E)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ We ought always ^(F)to give thanks to God for you, ^(G)brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the ^(H)love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. ⁴ As a result, we ourselves ^(I)speak proudly of you among ^(J)the churches of God for your ^[a]perseverance and faith ^[b](K)in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. ⁵ This is ^[c]a ^(L)plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be ^(M)considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering. ^6 [d]For after all ^(N)it is only right ^[e]for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, ^[f](O)when the Lord Jesus will be revealed ^(P)from heaven ^(Q)with ^[g]His mighty angels ^8 (R)in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who ^(S)do not know God, and to those who ^(T)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ These people will pay the penalty of ^(U)eternal destruction, ^(V)away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes to be ^(W)glorified among His ^[h]saints on that ^(X)day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our ^(Y)testimony to you was believed. ¹¹ To this end also we ^(Z)pray for you always, that our God will ^(AA)consider you worthy of your ^(AB)calling, and fulfill every desire for ^(AC)goodness and the ^(AD)work of faith with power, ¹² so that the ^(AE)name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Man of Lawlessness

2 Now we ask you, ^(AF)brothers and sisters, regarding the ^[i](AG)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our ^(AH)gathering together to Him, ² that you not be quickly shaken from your ^[j]composure or be disturbed either by a ^(AI)spirit, or a ^[k](AJ)message, or a ^(AK)letter as if from us, to the effect that ^(AL)the day of the Lord ^(AM)has come. ^3 (AN)No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the ^[l](AO)apostasy comes first, and the ^(AP)man of lawlessness is revealed, the ^(AQ)son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above ^[m](AR)every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, ^(AS)displaying himself as being God. ⁵ Do you not remember that ^(AT)while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? ⁶ And you know ^(AU)what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. ⁷ For ^(AV)the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only ^[n](AW)He who now restrains will do so until ^[o]He is ^[p]removed. ⁸ Then that lawless one ^(AX)will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate ^(AY)with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the ^(AZ)appearance of His ^[q]coming; ⁹ that is, the one whose ^[r]coming is in accord with the activity of ^(BA)Satan, with all power and false ^[s](BB)signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with ^[t]all the deception of wickedness for ^(BC)those who perish, because they did not accept the love of ^(BD)the truth so as to be saved. ¹¹ For this reason ^(BE)God ^[u]will send upon them ^[v]a ^(BF)deluding influence so that they will believe ^[w]what is false, ¹² in order that they all may be ^[x]judged who ^(BG)did not believe the truth, but ^[y](BH)took pleasure in wickedness.

Stand Firm

^13 (BI)But we should always give thanks to God for you, ^(BJ)brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because ^(BK)God has chosen you ^[z]from the beginning ^(BL)for salvation ^[aa](BM)through sanctification ^[ab]by the Spirit and faith in the truth. ¹⁴ It was for this He ^(BN)called you through ^(BO)our gospel, ^[ac]that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, ^(BP)stand firm and ^(BQ)hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether ^(BR)by word of mouth or ^(BS)by letter ^[ad]from us.

^16 (BT)Now may our Lord Jesus Christ ^(BU)Himself and God our Father, who has ^(BV)loved us and given us eternal comfort and ^(BW)good hope by grace, ^17 (BX)comfort and ^(BY)strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.