The Man of Lawlessness
1Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness2:3 Some manuscripts sin is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Stand Firm
13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits2:13 Some manuscripts because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings2:15 Or traditions we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
主再来的先兆
1弟兄姊妹，关于主耶稣基督再来和我们到祂那里相聚的事情， 2我们现在奉劝你们：无论是什么灵，或是传闻，或是冒充我们写的信，说主的日子已经到了，你们都不要轻易动摇，也不要惊慌。 3不管别人用什么诡计，你们都不要上当。因为那日子来临之前，必有离经叛道的事发生，而那不法之徒，就是那注定灭亡的人也要出现。 4他会抵挡主，高抬自己超过一切所谓的神明和人们崇拜的对象，甚至坐在上帝的殿中以上帝自居！
5我还在你们那里的时候，曾告诉过你们这些事，你们忘记了吗？ 6现在，你们知道是什么拦阻他，使他到了所定的时间才出现。 7其实那不法之徒的阴谋已经在酝酿中，然而现在有一位在拦阻他。等到拦阻他的那位一离开， 8他就会出现，但主耶稣会用自己口中的气毁灭他，用从天降临的荣光废掉他。
9他来要按照撒旦的伎俩行各种虚假的异能、神迹和奇事， 10用尽各种诡计欺骗那些将要灭亡的人，因为他们不喜欢接受那能拯救他们的真理。 11上帝就让他们是非不辨，去相信那些虚假的谎言， 12使一切不相信真理、反喜爱不义的人都被定罪。
要坚定不移
13主所爱的弟兄姊妹，我们应当常常为你们感谢上帝，因为上帝一开始就拣选了你们2:13 “一开始就拣选了你们”有古卷作“拣选你们作初熟的果子”。，使你们借着圣灵得以圣洁，并且相信真理，从而得救。 14为此，上帝借着我们所传的福音呼召了你们，使你们可以得到我们主耶稣基督的荣耀。 15所以，各位弟兄姊妹，务要坚定不移，无论是我们信上的教导还是口头的教导，你们都要坚守。
16愿主耶稣基督和爱我们、开恩将永远的安慰和美好的盼望赐给我们的父上帝， 17安慰你们的心，使你们在一切善行善言上刚强。
