1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 16Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Znakovi Dana Gospodnjega
1A glede dolaska našega Gospodina Isusa Krista i našega okupljanja oko njega, 2ne dajte se zavesti kakvim proroštvom, riječju ili pismom o tomu kako je on već tu. 3Ne dajte se prevariti.
Jer taj dan neće doći prije velike pobune protiv Boga i prije nego što se pojavi čovjek bezakonja—koji će završiti u paklu. 4On će se uzdignuti iznad svih bića koje ljudi štuju i nazivaju bogovima. Zasjest će u Božji hram i sebe proglasiti Bogom. 5Zar se ne sjećate da sam vam o tomu govorio dok sam još bio s vama? 6Znate što ga zadržava—on može doći tek kad za to bude vrijeme.
7To zlo već potajno djeluje dok se ne ukloni onaj tko ga sada zadržava. 8Tada će se otkriti Bezakonik, kojega će Gospodin Isus pogubiti dahom iz svojih usta i uništiti svojim slavnim dolaskom. 9Taj će Bezakonik doći da sotonskom silom čini različita lažna znamenja i čudesa. 10Pokvareno će zavarati sve one koji idu u propast jer su odbili vjerovati u istinu da se spase. 11Zato će im Bog poslati djelotvornu obmanu da povjeruju u laž 12i da budu osuđeni svi koji nisu povjerovali istini, nego su odabrali živjeti u zlu.
Poticaj na ustrajnost
13Draga braćo i sestre, ne možemo a da uvijek ne zahvaljujemo Bogu za vas. Gospodin vas ljubi. Zahvalni smo Bogu što vas je od početka odabrao za spasenje koje dolazi kroz posvećenje Duha i kroz vjeru u istinu. 14Na spasenje vas je pozvao kad smo vam propovijedali Radosnu vijest, da sada budete dionicima slave našega Gospodina Isusa Krista.
15Budite, braćo, zato postojani i držite se predaja kojima smo vas poučili osobno ili u pismu.
16Neka naš Gospodin Isus Krist i naš Bog Otac, koji nas je ljubio i koji nam je po svojoj milosti dao vječnu utjehu i dobru nadu, 17utješi vaša srca i učvrsti ih u svakome dobrom djelu i riječi.
