II. Warning Against Deception Concerning the Parousia

Christ and the Lawless One.* 1We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him,a 2not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a “spirit,”* or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.b 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy comes first and the lawless one is revealed,* the one doomed to perdition, 4cwho opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god and object of worship, so as to seat himself in the temple of God,* claiming that he is a god— 5do you not recall that while I was still with you I told you these things? 6And now you know what is restraining,* that he may be revealed in his time. 7*For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. But the one who restrains is to do so only for the present, until he is removed from the scene.d 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord [Jesus] will kill with the breath of his mouth and render powerless by the manifestation of his coming,e 9the one whose coming springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs and wonders that lie,f 10and in every wicked deceit for those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth so that they may be saved. 11Therefore, God is sending them a deceiving power so that they may believe the lie, 12that all who have not believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned.

13But we ought to give thanks to God for you always, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits* for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in truth.g 14To this end he has [also] called you through our gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.h 15Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.*

16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.