The Man of Lawlessness

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(A) and our being gathered to him,(B) we ask you, brothers and sisters, 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(C)—asserting that the day of the Lord(D) has already come.(E) Don’t let anyone deceive you(F) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion(G) occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed,(H) the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God(I) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.(J)

Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?(K) And now you know what is holding him back,(L) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back(M) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed,(N) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth(O) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.(P) The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan(Q) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders(R) that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.(S) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.(T) 11 For this reason God sends them(U) a powerful delusion(V) so that they will believe the lie(W) 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.(X)

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,(Y) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[b](Z) to be saved(AA) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit(AB) and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you(AC) to this through our gospel,(AD) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm(AE) and hold fast to the teachings[c] we passed on to you,(AF) whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,(AG) who loved us(AH) and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage(AI) your hearts and strengthen(AJ) you in every good deed and word.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Or traditions

Deliverance of Israel

27 In that day,(A)

the Lord will punish with his sword(B)
    his fierce, great and powerful sword—
Leviathan(C) the gliding serpent,(D)
    Leviathan the coiling serpent;
he will slay the monster(E) of the sea.

In that day(F)

“Sing(G) about a fruitful vineyard:(H)
    I, the Lord, watch over it;
    I water(I) it continually.
I guard(J) it day and night
    so that no one may harm(K) it.
    I am not angry.
If only there were briers and thorns confronting me!
    I would march against them in battle;
    I would set them all on fire.(L)
Or else let them come to me for refuge;(M)
    let them make peace(N) with me,
    yes, let them make peace with me.”

In days to come Jacob will take root,(O)
    Israel will bud and blossom(P)
    and fill all the world with fruit.(Q)

Has the Lord struck her
    as he struck(R) down those who struck her?
Has she been killed
    as those were killed who killed her?
By warfare[a] and exile(S) you contend with her—
    with his fierce blast he drives her out,
    as on a day the east wind(T) blows.
By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned(U) for,
    and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:(V)
When he makes all the altar stones(W)
    to be like limestone crushed to pieces,
no Asherah poles[b](X) or incense altars(Y)
    will be left standing.
10 The fortified city stands desolate,(Z)
    an abandoned settlement, forsaken(AA) like the wilderness;
there the calves graze,(AB)
    there they lie down;(AC)
    they strip its branches bare.
11 When its twigs are dry, they are broken off(AD)
    and women come and make fires(AE) with them.
For this is a people without understanding;(AF)
    so their Maker has no compassion on them,
    and their Creator(AG) shows them no favor.(AH)

12 In that day the Lord will thresh(AI) from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt,(AJ) and you, Israel, will be gathered(AK) up one by one. 13 And in that day(AL) a great trumpet(AM) will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled(AN) in Egypt(AO) will come and worship(AP) the Lord on the holy mountain(AQ) in Jerusalem.

Woe to the Leaders of Ephraim and Judah

28 Woe(AR) to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s(AS) drunkards,
    to the fading flower, his glorious beauty,
set on the head of a fertile valley(AT)
    to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!(AU)
See, the Lord has one who is powerful(AV) and strong.
    Like a hailstorm(AW) and a destructive wind,(AX)
like a driving rain and a flooding(AY) downpour,
    he will throw it forcefully to the ground.
That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s(AZ) drunkards,
    will be trampled(BA) underfoot.
That fading flower, his glorious beauty,
    set on the head of a fertile valley,(BB)
will be like figs(BC) ripe before harvest—
    as soon as people see them and take them in hand,
    they swallow them.

In that day(BD) the Lord Almighty
    will be a glorious(BE) crown,(BF)
a beautiful wreath
    for the remnant(BG) of his people.
He will be a spirit of justice(BH)
    to the one who sits in judgment,(BI)
a source of strength
    to those who turn back the battle(BJ) at the gate.

And these also stagger(BK) from wine(BL)
    and reel(BM) from beer:
Priests(BN) and prophets(BO) stagger from beer
    and are befuddled with wine;
they reel from beer,
    they stagger when seeing visions,(BP)
    they stumble when rendering decisions.
All the tables are covered with vomit(BQ)
    and there is not a spot without filth.

“Who is it he is trying to teach?(BR)
    To whom is he explaining his message?(BS)
To children weaned(BT) from their milk,(BU)
    to those just taken from the breast?
10 For it is:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that[c];
    a little here, a little there.(BV)

11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues(BW)
    God will speak to this people,(BX)
12 to whom he said,
    “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;(BY)
and, “This is the place of repose”—
    but they would not listen.
13 So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
    Do this, do that,
    a rule for this, a rule for that;
    a little here, a little there(BZ)
so that as they go they will fall backward;
    they will be injured(CA) and snared and captured.(CB)

14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord,(CC) you scoffers(CD)
    who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death,(CE)
    with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(CF)
    it cannot touch us,
for we have made a lie(CG) our refuge
    and falsehood[d] our hiding place.(CH)

16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,(CI) a tested stone,(CJ)
    a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;(CK)
the one who relies on it
    will never be stricken with panic.(CL)
17 I will make justice(CM) the measuring line
    and righteousness the plumb line;(CN)
hail(CO) will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
    and water will overflow(CP) your hiding place.
18 Your covenant with death will be annulled;
    your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.(CQ)
When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,(CR)
    you will be beaten down(CS) by it.
19 As often as it comes it will carry you away;(CT)
    morning after morning,(CU) by day and by night,
    it will sweep through.”

The understanding of this message
    will bring sheer terror.(CV)
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on,
    the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.(CW)
21 The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,(CX)
    he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon(CY)
to do his work,(CZ) his strange work,
    and perform his task, his alien task.
22 Now stop your mocking,(DA)
    or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me
    of the destruction decreed(DB) against the whole land.(DC)

23 Listen(DD) and hear my voice;
    pay attention and hear what I say.
24 When a farmer plows for planting,(DE) does he plow continually?
    Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?
25 When he has leveled the surface,
    does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?(DF)
Does he not plant wheat in its place,[e]
    barley(DG) in its plot,[f]
    and spelt(DH) in its field?
26 His God instructs him
    and teaches(DI) him the right way.

27 Caraway is not threshed(DJ) with a sledge,(DK)
    nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod,(DL)
    and cumin with a stick.
28 Grain must be ground to make bread;
    so one does not go on threshing it forever.
The wheels of a threshing cart(DM) may be rolled over it,
    but one does not use horses to grind grain.
29 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
    whose plan is wonderful,(DN)
    whose wisdom is magnificent.(DO)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 27:8 See Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 27:9 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  3. Isaiah 28:10 Hebrew / sav lasav sav lasav / kav lakav kav lakav (probably meaningless sounds mimicking the prophet’s words); also in verse 13
  4. Isaiah 28:15 Or false gods
  5. Isaiah 28:25 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  6. Isaiah 28:25 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Psalm 118

Give thanks to the Lord,(A) for he is good;(B)
    his love endures forever.(C)

Let Israel say:(D)
    “His love endures forever.”(E)
Let the house of Aaron say:(F)
    “His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord(G) say:
    “His love endures forever.”

When hard pressed,(H) I cried to the Lord;
    he brought me into a spacious place.(I)
The Lord is with me;(J) I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?(K)
The Lord is with me; he is my helper.(L)
    I look in triumph on my enemies.(M)

It is better to take refuge in the Lord(N)
    than to trust in humans.(O)
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.(P)
10 All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.(Q)
11 They surrounded me(R) on every side,(S)
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,(T)
    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;(U)
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.(V)
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.(W)
14 The Lord is my strength(X) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(Y)

15 Shouts of joy(Z) and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand(AA) has done mighty things!(AB)
16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die(AC) but live,
    and will proclaim(AD) what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened(AE) me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.(AF)
19 Open for me the gates(AG) of the righteous;
    I will enter(AH) and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord(AI)
    through which the righteous may enter.(AJ)
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;(AK)
    you have become my salvation.(AL)

22 The stone(AM) the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;(AN)
23 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous(AO) in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.(AP)

25 Lord, save us!(AQ)
    Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes(AR) in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b](AS)
27 The Lord is God,(AT)
    and he has made his light shine(AU) on us.
With boughs in hand,(AV) join in the festal procession
    up[c] to the horns of the altar.(AW)

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God,(AX) and I will exalt(AY) you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:14 Or song
  2. Psalm 118:26 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. Psalm 118:27 Or Bind the festal sacrifice with ropes / and take it

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