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Man of Lawlessness

¹ Now in regard to the ^(C1)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our ^(F1)(C2)gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, ^(F2)(C3)brothers and sisters, ^(VR1)2 not to be quickly unsettled or alarmed either by a so-called prophetic revelation of a ^(C1)spirit or a ^(C2)message or a ^(C3)letter alleged to be from us, to the effect that ^(C4)the day of the Lord ^(C5)has already come.^3 (C1)Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the ^(F1)(C2)apostasy comes first that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians, and the ^(C3)man of lawlessness is revealed, the ^(C4)son of destruction the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed, ^(VR1)4 who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and so insolently above ^(F1)(C1)every so-called god or object of worship, so that he actually enters and takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly ^(C2)proclaiming that he himself is God. ^(VR1)5 Do you not remember that ^(C1)when I was still with you, I was telling you these things?⁶ And you know ^(C1)what restrains him now from being revealed; it is so that he will be revealed at his own appointed time.⁷ For ^(C1)the mystery of lawlessness rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness is already at work; but it is restrained only ^(C2)until He who now restrains it is taken out of the way.⁸ Then the lawless one the Antichrist ^(C1)will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him ^(C2)with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the ^(C3)appearance of His coming. ^(VR1)9 The coming of the Antichrist, the lawless one is through the activity of ^(C1)Satan, attended with great power all kinds of counterfeit miracles and deceptive ^(C2)signs and false wonders all of them lies,¹⁰ and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for ^(C1)those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of ^(C2)the truth of the gospel so as to be saved they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them.¹¹ Because of this ^(C1)God will send upon them a ^(C2)misleading influence, an activity of error and deception so they will believe the lie,¹² in order that all may be judged and condemned who ^(C1)did not believe the truth about their sin, and the need for salvation through Christ, but instead ^(C2)took pleasure in unrighteousness.

^13 (C1)But we should and are morally obligated as debtors always to give thanks to God for you, ^(C2)believers beloved by the Lord, because ^(C3)God has chosen you from the beginning ^(C4)for salvation ^(C5)through the ^(F1)sanctifying work of the Spirit that sets you apart for God's purpose and by your faith in the truth of God's word that leads you to spiritual maturity.¹⁴ It was to this end that He ^(C1)called you through ^(C2)our gospel the good news of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, so that you may obtain and share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵ So then, ^(F1)brothers and sisters, ^(C1)stand firm and ^(C2)hold tightly to the traditions which you were taught, whether ^(C3)by word of mouth or ^(C3)by letter from us.

^16 (C1)Now may our Lord Jesus Christ ^(C1)Himself and God our Father, who has ^(C2)loved us and given us everlasting comfort and encouragement and the ^(C3)good well-founded hope of salvation by His grace,^17 (C1)comfort and encourage and ^(C2)strengthen your hearts keeping them steadfast and on course in every good work and word.