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2 Thessalonians 1-3
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Greeting

1 Paul, Silvanus,[a](A) and Timothy:(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Judgment and Glory

3 We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love(D) each one of you has for one another(E) is increasing.(F) 4 Therefore, we ourselves boast(G) about you among God’s churches—about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you endure. 5 It is a clear evidence of God’s righteous(H) judgment(I) that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering,(J) 6 since it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to reward with rest you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels, 8 taking vengeance with flaming fire(K) on those who don’t know God(L) and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(M) 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction(N) from the Lord’s presence(O) and from His glorious strength(P) 10 in that day when He comes(Q) to be glorified(R) by His saints(S) and to be admired by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling,(T) and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith,(U) 12 so that the name(V) of our Lord Jesus will be glorified(W) by you, and you by Him,(X) according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now concerning the coming(Y) of our Lord(Z) Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him: We ask you, brothers, 2 not to be easily upset in mind or troubled, either by a spirit(AA) or by a message or by a letter as if from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord[b](AB) has come.(AC) 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy[c] comes first and the man of lawlessness[d] is revealed, the son of destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god(AD) or object of worship,(AE) so that he sits[e] in God’s sanctuary,[f] publicizing that he himself is God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I told you about this? 6 And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time.(AF) 7 For the mystery of lawlessness(AG) is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of His mouth(AH) and will bring him to nothing with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders,(AI) 10 and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved.(AJ) 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false, 12 so that all will be condemned(AK)—those who did not believe(AL) the truth but enjoyed unrighteousness.

Stand Firm

13 But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning[g] God has chosen(AM) you for salvation through sanctification(AN) by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory(AO) of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm(AP) and hold to the traditions you were taught,(AQ) either by our message or by our letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved(AR) us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.

Pray for Us

3 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,(AS) 2 and that we may be delivered(AT) from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith.[h] 3 But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one.(AU) 4 We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do what we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance.(AV)

Warning against Irresponsible Behavior

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name(AW) of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother(AX) who walks irresponsibly and not according to the tradition(AY) received(AZ) from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate(BA) us: We were not irresponsible among you; 8 we did not eat(BB) anyone’s food[i] free of charge;(BC) instead, we labored(BD) and struggled,(BE) working(BF) night and day, so that we would not be a burden(BG) to any of you. 9 It is not that we don’t have the right(BH) to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate(BI) us. 10 In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”(BJ) 11 For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others.(BK) 12 Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ that quietly working, they may eat their own food.[j] 13 Brothers, do not grow weary(BL) in doing good.

14 And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Final Greetings

16 May the Lord of peace(BM) Himself give you peace always in every way.(BN) The Lord be with all of you.(BO) 17 This greeting is in my own hand(BP)—Paul. This is a sign in every letter; this is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Or Silas; Ac 15:22-32; 16:19-40; 17:1-16
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 Other mss read Christ
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Or rebellion
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Other mss read man of sin
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Other mss add as God
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Or temple
  7. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Other mss read because as a firstfruit
  8. 2 Thessalonians 3:2 Or for the faith is not in everyone
  9. 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Or bread
  10. 2 Thessalonians 3:12 Or bread
Listen to 2 Thessalonians 1-3
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2 Thessalonians 1-3
New International Version

1 Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(D)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 We ought always to thank God for you,(E) brothers and sisters,[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.(F) 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast(G) about your perseverance and faith(H) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.(I)

5 All this is evidence(J) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy(K) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just:(L) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you(M) 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven(N) in blazing fire(O) with his powerful angels.(P) 8 He will punish(Q) those who do not know God(R) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(S) 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction(T) and shut out from the presence of the Lord(U) and from the glory of his might(V) 10 on the day(W) he comes to be glorified(X) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.(Y)

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,(Z) that our God may make you worthy(AA) of his calling,(AB) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness(AC) and your every deed prompted by faith.(AD) 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,(AE) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(AF) and our being gathered to him,(AG) we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 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(AH)—asserting that the day of the Lord(AI) has already come.(AJ) 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you(AK) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion(AL) occurs and the man of lawlessness[d] is revealed,(AM) the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God(AN) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.(AO)

5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?(AP) 6 And now you know what is holding him back,(AQ) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back(AR) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,(AS) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth(AT) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.(AU) 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan(AV) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders(AW) that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.(AX) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.(AY) 11 For this reason God sends them(AZ) a powerful delusion(BA) so that they will believe the lie(BB) 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.(BC)

Stand Firm

13 But we ought always to thank God for you,(BD) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits[e](BE) to be saved(BF) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit(BG) and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you(BH) to this through our gospel,(BI) that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

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

Request for Prayer

3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,(BP) pray for us(BQ) that the message of the Lord(BR) may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.(BS) 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people,(BT) for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful,(BU) and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.(BV) 4 We have confidence(BW) in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts(BX) into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Warning Against Idleness

6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,(BY) we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from(BZ) every believer who is idle and disruptive(CA) and does not live according to the teaching[g] you received from us.(CB) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.(CC) We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked(CD) night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(CE) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(CF) 10 For even when we were with you,(CG) we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work(CH) shall not eat.”

11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.(CI) 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ(CJ) to settle down and earn the food they eat.(CK) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.(CL)

14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them,(CM) in order that they may feel ashamed.(CN) 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.(CO)

Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace(CP) himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.(CQ)

17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand,(CR) which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.(CS)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
  2. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 13, 15; 3:1, 6, 13.
  3. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ
  4. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some manuscripts sin
  5. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you
  6. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Or traditions
  7. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition
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