THE SECOND EPISTLE

OF THE

APOSTLE PAUL

TO THE

THESSALONIANS.

, PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timothy, to the congregation

2 of the Thessalonians in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ: Favour be to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as it is fit; because your faith increaseth exceedingly, and the

^ love of every one of you all towards one another aboundeth: So that we ourselves boast of you in the congregations of God, on account of your perseverance and belief, in all your perse-

3 cutions. Indeed by these afflictions which you endure there is a clear evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you

5 are accounted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you,

7 actually suffer; since it is just with God to retribute affliction to them who afflict you; and to you who are afflicted, rest with

% us at the manifestation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels, executing, with flaming fire, vengeance on them who know not God, and on them who hearken not to

5 the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall suffer punishment, an everlasting destruction from the presence of

j the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, on the day when he shall come to be glorified by his saints, and to be admired

L by all those who believe that he was intrusted with this testimony of ours to you: for which purpose we are continually praying for you, that our God would make you worthy of this invitation, and confirm all the good pleasure of his goodness

12 and the work of faith, with power; that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the favour of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

II. Now, with respect to this coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 and the gathering of us together to him, we beseech you, brethren, not to be hastily shaken from your purpose; nor alarmed by any spirit, or by any word, or by any letter as from

3 us, as if the day of the Christ was at hand. Let no one by any means deceive you that it is, until the apostacy hath first come, and the man of sin hath been revealed—that son of perdition

4 who setteth himself against, and exalteth himself above, all that is called God, or an object of worship; so as to seat him-

5 self as God in the temple of God, pointing himself out that he

6 is God. Do you not remember that while I was yet with you I told you these things? And you know what it is which now restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own

7 time. For the mystery of this iniquity is now in operation, but

8 there is one who yet restraineth. When he is out of the way, then will be revealed that lawless one, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth. With the brightness of his coming he will indeed put a stop to the operations

9 of him, whose coming is according to the energy of satan, with'

10 all the power, and signs, and wonders of falsehood, and with all the deceit of this unrighteousness among them who perish.

Because they did not embrace the love of the truth that

11 they might be saved ; for this cause therefore God will send them the energy of delusion, that they may believe this false-

12 hood; that all may be condemned who have not believed the truth, but have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 Now we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath, from the be-

14 ginning, chosen you for salvation by a sanctification of spirit and a belief of the truth to which he hath called you by our glad tidings, to be an acquisition of glory to our Lord Jesus

15 Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and keep firm hold of the doctrines* which you have been taught, whether by

L6 word or by our letter. And may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father, who hath loved us and graci-

L7 ously given us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work!

III. Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord

2 may run and be glorified, as it is among you; and that we may be delivered from unprincipled and malicious men : for all

3 have not this belief. But the Lord is faithful, and will establish

4 you, and guard you from the wicked one : and we have this hope in the Lord with regard to you, that you both do, and

5 will do, what we tell you. And may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of the Christ.

6 Now we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw yourselves from every brother who ivalketh disorderly and not according to the doctrine which

7 he received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought

8 to imitate us—that we did not behave ourselves irregularly among you, nor eat any man's bread for nothing; but with labour and toil worked night and day, that we might not be

9 burthensome to any of you ; not because we are destitute of authority, but that we might exhibit ourselves as a pattern

10 for you to imitate. For when we were with you we gave you

11 this charge, that he who would not work should not eat. For we hear that there are some among you who walk disorderly,

12 doing no work, but busying themselves impertinently. Now we charge such, and intreat them by the Lord Jesus Christ,

13 to work quietly, and eat their own bread. And as for you,

14 brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any one doth not obey this injunction of ours by this letter, mark that man, and have no intimate connection with him, that he may be ashamed.

15 Yet count him not an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

16 And may the Lord of peace himself grant you peace continu-

17 ally in every respect. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of me Paul, with my own hand, which is a mark in every letter. Thus I write—The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.