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THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
THESSALONIANS.
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CHAPTER 1.
AUL, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians
in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is
meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the
charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby (I. Pet., 2:2)."
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen
(II. Pet., 3:18)."
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for
your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations
that ye endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,
that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye
also suffer:
"And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an
evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God
(Phil., 1:28)."
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense
tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first (I. Thess., 4:16)."
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
"But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,
which shall devour the adversaries (Heb., 10:27)."
"For our God is a consuming fire (Heb., 12:29)."
"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are
kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men (II. Pet., 3:7)."
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous
into life eternal (Matt., 25:46)."
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be
admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you
was believed) in that day.
"He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is
true (Jno., 3:33)."
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would
count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good
pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world;
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of
Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain
(Phil., 2:14-16)."
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in
you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER 2.
OW we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That 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.
3 Let 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;
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"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which
God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe
and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if
it be received with thanksgiving (I. Tim., 4:1-4)."
4 Who 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.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you
these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in
his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who
now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that
antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time (I. Jno., 2:18)."
8 And 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:
"By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are
they consumed (Job, 4:9)."
"But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with
equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the
rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the
wicked (Isa., 11:4)."
"Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them
by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light
that goeth forth (Hos., 6:5)."
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the
west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matt., 24:27)."
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with
all power and signs and lying wonders,
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father
ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it
(Jno., 8:44)."
"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience (Eph., 2:2)."
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall
shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect (Matt., 24:24)."
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that
they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they should believe a lie:
"And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth,
and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he
said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and
do so (I. Kings, 22:22)."
"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of
their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are
not convenient (Rom., 1:24, 28)."
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive
you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive
many.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many
(Matt., 24:4, 5, 11)."
13 But 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:
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (Jno., 17:17)."
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for
a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come
(Matt., 24:14)."
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions
which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
"Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and
keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you
(I. Cor., 11:2)."
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16 Now 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,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and
work.
CHAPTER 3.
INALLY, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have
free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints;
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my
mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel
(Eph., 6:18, 19)."
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek (Rom., 1:16)."
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked
men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep
you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both
do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and
into the patient waiting for Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that
walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received
of us.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and
offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid
them (Rom., 16:17)."
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved
not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought
with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be
chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an
ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that
if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you
disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to
work with your own hands, as we commanded you (I. Thess., 4:11)."
"Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord
(Rom., 12:11)."
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord
Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own
bread.
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not (Gal., 6:9)."
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that
man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a
brother.
"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the
feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men
(I. Thess., 5:14)."
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all
means. The Lord be with you all.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil., 4:6, 7)."
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the
token in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen.
¶ The second epistle to the Thessalonians was written from
Athens.
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