2Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.G1161G2065G5209G80G5228G3952G2257G2962G2424G5547G2532G2257G1997G1909G8462Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.G1519G5209G4531G3361G5030G4531G575G3563G3383G2360G3383G1223G4151G3383G1223G3056G3383G1223G1992G5613G1223G2257G5613G3754G2250G5547G17643Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction.G1818G3361G5100G1818G5209G2596G3367G5158G3754G3362G2064G646G4412G2532G444G266G601G5207G6844He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.G3588G480G2532G5229G1909G3956G3004G2316G2228G4574G5620G846G5613G2316G2523G1519G3485G2316G584G1438G3754G2076G23165Don't you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you?G3421G3756G3754G5607G2089G4314G5209G3004G5213G50236And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.G2532G3568G1492G2722G1519G846G601G1722G1438G25407For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way.G1063G3466G458G1754G2235G1754G3440G737G2722G2193G1096G1537G33198Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.G2532G5119G601G459G601G3739G2962G355G4151G846G4750G2532G2673G2015G846G39529This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.G3739G3952G2076G2596G1753G4567G1722G3956G1411G2532G4592G2532G5579G505910He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.G2532G1722G3956G539G93G1722G622G473G3739G1209G3756G26G225G1519G846G498211So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies.G2532G5124G1223G2316G3992G846G1753G4106G1519G846G4100G557912Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.G2443G3956G2919G3588G4100G3361G225G235G2106G1722G93
Believers Should Stand Firm
13As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.G1161G2249G3784G2168G3842G2316G4012G5216G80G25G5259G2962G3754G2316G138G575G746G138G5209G1519G4991G1722G38G4151G2532G4102G22514He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.G1519G3739G2564G5209G1223G2257G2098G1519G4047G1391G2257G2962G2424G554715With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.G686G3767G80G4739G2532G2902G3862G3739G1321G1535G1223G3056G1535G1223G2257G199216Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope,G1161G2257G2962G2424G5547G846G2532G2316G2532G2257G3962G3588G25G2248G2532G1325G166G3874G2532G18G1680G1722G548517comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.G3870G5216G2588G2532G4741G5209G1722G3956G18G3056G2532G2041
Paul’s Request for Prayer
3Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord's message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.G3063G80G4336G4012G2257G2443G3056G2962G5143G2532G1392G2532G2531G4314G52092Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer.G2532G2443G4506G575G824G2532G4190G444G1063G3956G3756G41023But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.G1161G2962G2076G4103G3739G4741G5209G2532G5442G575G41904And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you.G1161G3982G1722G2962G1909G5209G3754G2532G4160G2532G4160G3739G3853G52135May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.G1161G2962G2720G5216G2588G1519G26G2316G2532G1519G5281G5547
An Exhortation to Proper Living
6And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don't follow the tradition they received from us.G1161G3853G5213G80G1722G3686G2257G2962G2424G5547G4724G5209G575G3956G80G4043G814G2532G3361G2596G3862G3739G3880G3844G22577For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.G1063G846G1492G4459G1163G3401G2248G3754G812G3756G812G1722G52138We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you.G3761G5315G3844G5100G740G1432G235G2038G1722G2873G2532G3449G3571G2532G2250G4314G1912G3361G1912G5100G52169We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.G3756G3754G2192G3756G1849G235G2443G1325G1438G5179G5213G1519G3401G224810Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: "Those unwilling to work will not get to eat."G1063G2532G3753G2258G4314G5209G5124G3853G5213G3754G1536G2309G3756G2038G3366G206811Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business.G1063G191G5100G4043G1722G5213G814G2038G3367G235G402012We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.G1161G5108G3853G2532G3870G1223G2257G2962G2424G5547G2443G3326G2271G2038G2068G1438G74013As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.G1161G5210G80G1573G3361G1573G256914Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed.G1161G1536G5219G3756G2257G3056G1223G1992G4593G5126G2532G4874G3361G4874G846G2443G178815Don't think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.G2532G2233G3361G5613G2190G235G3560G5613G80
Paul’s Final Greetings
16Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.G1161G2962G1515G846G1325G5213G1515G1223G3956G1722G3956G5158G2962G3326G5216G395617HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME.G783G3972G1699G5495G3739G2076G4592G1722G3956G1992G3779G112518May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G3956G281