2 Thessalonians 2

Setting the scene

Who wrote it: Paul (debated), with Silvanus and Timothy
Who it was for: The church in Thessalonica
What was happening: Do not be shaken: the day of the Lord has not come, and a rebellion and the lawless one come first

Read the full background in the book overview

What’s happening

Concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and their gathering together to him, Paul asks them "not to be quickly shaken in your mind, or troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, saying that the day of the Lord has come." Let no one deceive them in any way, for that day will not come "unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God." Don't they remember that when Paul was still with them, he told them these things? Now they know what restrains him, so that in his own time he may be revealed. "For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the brightness of his coming; even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who didn't believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." But Paul and his friends are bound to give thanks to God always for them, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose them from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called them through the gospel, "for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." So then, brothers, "stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word, or by letter from us." Now may the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, "comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word."

Why the setting matters

This chapter is among the most debated in the New Testament, and Paul himself says he had already told them details that we do not have (2:5-6). The immediate concern is plain: someone, by a prophecy, a spoken report, or a letter claiming to be from Paul, said that the day of the Lord had already come, and the Thessalonians were alarmed. Paul says it has not, and that certain things must happen first: a "rebellion" (the Greek word apostasia usually means a revolt or falling away) and the revealing of "the man of lawlessness." Who or what that figure is has been argued over from the early church to today: suggestions include a Roman emperor (Caligula had tried to put his statue in the Jerusalem temple in AD 40; Nero was later a candidate), a future individual often called the Antichrist, a religious or political system, or a symbol of rebellion against God in every age. "The temple of God" might be the Jerusalem temple or the church. "What restrains" him is also debated: it has been read as the Roman Empire and its law, the preaching of the gospel, the Holy Spirit, or an angel, and Paul does not name it. What can be said is that Paul's purpose is pastoral: do not be shaken; the Lord will destroy lawlessness by the breath of his mouth, and God has chosen them for salvation. The mention of letters "as from us" shows that forged letters were a real concern in the early church.

Read 2 Thessalonians 2 (World English Bible)

Who’s in this chapter

Paul

Corrects a rumor and asks them not to be shaken.

The believers in Thessalonica

Alarmed by a report that the day had come; chosen for salvation.

The man of lawlessness

The rebel and "son of destruction" who comes before the day.

Satan

Whose working is behind the lawless one.

The Lord Jesus

Who will bring the lawless one to nothing by the breath of his mouth.

Talk it through

Paul's first aim is to stop the Thessalonians being "shaken" and "alarmed." What does that say about how he wants to use teaching on the end?
Paul says he told them things we do not have. What can we do when a passage depends on shared knowledge we no longer have?
The "man of lawlessness" has been identified in many ways. What does the number of answers suggest about how humbly to hold them?
The chapter ends with thanks and a prayer for comfort and strength. How does that frame the difficult middle?

Read 2 Thessalonians 2

World English Bible

¹Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you ²not to be quickly shaken in your mind, and not be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come. ³Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. ⁵Don’t you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things? ⁶Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. ⁷For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. ⁸Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; ⁹even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, ¹⁰and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; ¹²that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

¹³But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.

¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources

Key words

erōtáō · ask
"Now we beg you, brothers" (2:1).
parousia · coming, presence
"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2:1, 2:8-9).
saleúō · be shaken
"That you not be quickly shaken" (2:2).
throéō · be alarmed
"Or troubled" (2:2).
pneuma · spirit, breath, wind
"Either by spirit" (2:2, 2:8, 2:13).
logos · word, message, reason
"Or by word" (2:2, 2:15, 2:17).
epistolḗ · letter
"Or by letter as from us" (2:2, 2:15).
apostasía · rebellion
"Unless the departure comes first" or "the rebellion" (2:3).
anomía · lawlessness
"The mystery of lawlessness" (2:3, 2:7).
ánomos · lawless one
"Then the lawless one will be revealed" (2:8).
huiós · son
"The son of destruction" (2:3).
apṓleia · destruction, ruin
"The son of destruction" (2:3).
antíkeimai · oppose
"He who opposes" (2:4).
hyperaírō · to exalt oneself, to be conceited
"And exalts himself" (2:4).
sébasma · object of worship
"Or that is worshiped" (2:4).
naós · temple, sanctuary
"So that he sits as God in the temple of God" (2:4).
apodeíknymi · proclaim
"Setting himself up as God" (2:4).
katéchō · hold fast
"You know what restrains" (2:6-7).
mystērion · mystery, secret
"The mystery of lawlessness" (2:7).
enérgeia · working, activity
"According to the working of Satan" and "a working of error" (2:9, 2:11).
anairéō · kill
"Whom the Lord Jesus will kill" (2:8).
katargéō · to abolish, to bring to nothing
"And bring to nothing" (2:8).
epipháneia · appearing
"By the brightness of his coming" (2:8).
Satanâs · Satan, the adversary
"According to the working of Satan" (2:9).
sēmeion · sign
"With all power and signs" (2:9).
téras · wonder, portent
"And lying wonders" (2:9).
apátē · deceit
"And with all deception of wickedness" (2:10).
apollymi · to lose, to destroy, to perish
"For those who are perishing" (2:10).
alētheia · truth
"The love of the truth" (2:10, 2:12-13).
sōzō · to save, to heal, to make well
"That they might be saved" (2:10).
plánē · error, deception
"A working of error" (2:11).
pémpo · send
"God sends them" (2:11).
pseûdos · lie, falsehood
"That they should believe a lie" (2:9, 2:11).
krinō · to judge, to decide
"That they all might be judged" (2:12).
adikía · unrighteousness
"But had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2:10, 2:12).
eudokéō · be pleased
"But had pleasure" (2:12).
hairéomai · choose
"God chose you" (2:13).
aparchḗ · firstfruits
"From the beginning" or "as firstfruits" (2:13).
hagiasmós · sanctification
"Through sanctification of the Spirit" (2:13).
pistis · faith, trust
"And belief in the truth" (2:13).
peripoíēsis · obtaining
"For the obtaining of the glory" (2:14).
stḗkō · stand firm
"Stand firm" (2:15).
kratéō · hold firmly
"And hold the traditions" (2:15).
paradosis · tradition
"The traditions which you were taught" (2:15).
paraklēsis · encouragement, comfort
"And gave us eternal comfort" (2:16).
parakaleō · to encourage, to exhort, to comfort
"Comfort your hearts" (2:17).
elpis · hope
"And good hope through grace" (2:16).
stērízō · establish
"And establish them in every good work and word" (2:17).
agathós · good
"In every good work and word" (2:16-17).

See all word studies

Cross-references

Daniel 11:36-37, the king shall exalt and magnify himself above every god
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night
Matthew 24:15-24, the abomination of desolation; false christs and false prophets will show signs and wonders
1 John 2:18, as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come

Also linked by other readers

Matthew 24:4-6, from 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Daniel 7:25, from 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 2 Thessalonians 2:4
Matthew 24:24, from 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:9

Ranked by reader votes: OpenBible.info Cross References, CC BY. About our sources