2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

Greeting

From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy—

To the gathering of the Thessalonians

in God our Father and the Master, Jesus the Anointed One:

Grace and peace to you

from God the Father and the Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

Thankfulness for Their Growth

We always thank God for you, brothers and sisters,

and rightly so,

because your trust is growing more and more,

and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

Therefore, among the gatherings of God

we boast about your endurance and trust

in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

A Sign of God's Righteous Judgment

All this is evidence

that God’s judgment is right,

and as a result you will be counted worthy

of the reign of God,

for which you are suffering.

God is just:

He will repay trouble to those who trouble you,

and give relief to you who are troubled,

and to us as well.

The Revelation of the Master

This will happen when the Master Jesus is revealed from the heavens

in blazing fire

with His powerful messengers.

He will bring justice

on those who do not know God

and do not obey the good news

of our Master, Jesus.

They will be punished with everlasting ruin,

shut out from the presence of the Master

and from the glory of His strength,

on the day He comes

to be glorified in His set-apart people

and to be marveled at among all those who have trusted—

this includes you,

because you believed our testimony.

A Prayer for Fulfillment and Power

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His calling,

and that by His power

He may fulfill every good purpose of yours

and every act prompted by your trust.

We pray this so that

the name of our Master, Jesus,

may be glorified in you,

and you in Him,

according to the grace of our God

and the Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

———

Do Not Be Quickly Shaken

Now concerning the coming of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One,

and our being gathered together to Him,

we ask you, brothers and sisters,

not to be easily unsettled or alarmed

by a message, word, or letter

purporting to be from us,

saying that the day of the Master has already come.

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 one destined for destruction.

He opposes and exalts himself

above every so-called god or object of worship,

so that he seats himself in the temple of God,

proclaiming himself to be God.

The Mystery Already at Work

Do you not remember

that when I was still with you, I told you these things?

And now you know what is holding him back,

so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work;

but the one who restrains it will continue to do so

until he is taken out of the way.

Then the lawless one will be revealed,

whom the Master Jesus will destroy

with the breath of His mouth

and bring to nothing

by the appearance of His coming.

The coming of the lawless one

is according to the working of the Accuser,

with all sorts of false power, signs, and wonders,

and with every kind of wicked deception

directed at those who are perishing—

because they refused to love the truth and so be rescued.

A Delusion Sent by God

For this reason,

God sends them a strong delusion,

so that they will believe the lie,

in order that all who did not believe the truth

but took pleasure in unrighteousness

will be judged.

Stand Firm and Hold to the Teaching

But we ought always to thank God for you,

brothers and sisters loved by the Master,

because from the beginning

God chose you for rescue

through set-apartness by the Breath

and through belief in the truth.

He called you to this through our good news,

so that you might share in the glory

of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One.

So then, brothers and sisters,

stand firm

and hold fast to the teachings

we passed on to you,

whether by word or by letter.

A Closing Blessing

May our Master, Jesus the Anointed One Himself,

and God our Father—who loved us

and by His grace gave us eternal comfort

and a good hope—

encourage your hearts

and strengthen you in every good work and word.

———

A Request for Prayer

Finally, brothers and sisters,

pray for us,

that the word of the Master may spread swiftly

and be honored,

just as it was among you.

And pray that we may be delivered

from wicked and evil people,

for not everyone has trust.

But the Master is trustworthy,

and He will strengthen you

and guard you from the evil one.

We have confidence in the Master

that you are doing

and will continue to do the things we command.

May the Master direct your hearts

into the love of God

and the steadfastness of the Anointed One.

A Warning Against Idleness

Now we command you, brothers and sisters,

in the name of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One:

Keep away from any believer who is idle and disruptive

and does not live according to the instruction

you received from us.

For you yourselves know

how you ought to imitate us,

because we were not idle when we were with you.

We did not eat anyone’s food without paying for it.

On the contrary, we worked night and day,

laboring and toiling

so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

Not because we do not have the right,

but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.

For even when we were with you,

we gave you this rule:

“If anyone is not willing to work, neither shall he eat.”

Addressing Disruption

We hear that some among you

are idle and disruptive.

They are not busy—they are busybodies.

Such people we command and urge

in the Master, Jesus the Anointed One,

to settle down and earn the food they eat.

And you, brothers and sisters,

do not grow weary in doing good.

If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter,

take note of them

and do not associate with them,

so that they may feel the weight of correction.

Yet do not regard them as an enemy,

but warn them as you would a brother or sister.

Final Blessing

Now may the Master of peace Himself

give you peace at all times and in every way.

The Master be with all of you.

I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.

This is the distinguishing mark in all my letters.

This is how I write.

The grace of our Master, Jesus the Anointed One,

be with you all.

Amen.