Copyright (c) Timothy E. Clontz 1999 All rights reserved.

The Second Letter of Paul to The Thessalonians

1
  1 Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
  3 We ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you are enduring. 5 This is evidence of God's righteous judgment, so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, 10 when he comes to be glorified in his saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2
  1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we beg you, brethren, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends upon them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false, 12 so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in wickedness.
  13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

3
  1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it did also with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will continue to do the things which we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
  6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who is living in idleness and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day 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, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If anyone will not work, he shall not eat." 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, not doing any work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and earn their own bread to eat. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
  16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
  17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.