2nd THESSALONIANS
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¤1 °1 From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father and in Christ Jesus, the Lord. °2 May grace and peace be yours from God the Father and Christ Jesus, the Lord. °3 Brothers and sisters, we should give thanks to God at all times for you. It is fitting to do so, for your faith is growing and your love for one another increasing. °4 We take pride in you among the churches of God because of your endurance and your faith in the midst of persecution and sufferings. °5 In this the just judgment of God may be seen; for you must show yourselves worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are now suffering. § The judgment and the coming of Christ°6 Indeed, it is just that God repays with affliction those who persecute you, °7 but to you who suffer, he will grant rest with us when the Lord Jesus will be shown in his Glory, coming from heaven and surrounded by his court of angels. °8Then with flaming fire will be punished those who do not recognize Godand do not obey the Gospel of Jesus, our Lord. °9 They will be sent to eternal damnation far away from the face of the Lord and his mighty glory. °10 On that day the Lord will be glorified in the midst of his saints, and reveal his wonders through those who believe in him, that is through you who have received our testimony. °11 This is why we constantly pray for you; may our God make you worthy of his calling. May he, by his power, fulfill your good purposes and your work prompted by faith. °12 In that way, the name of Jesus our Lord will be glorified through you, and you through him, according to the loving plan of God and of Christ Jesus the Lord. ¤2 °1 Brothers and sisters, let us speak about the coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, and our gathering to meet him. °2 Do not be easily unsettled. Do not be alarmed by what a prophet says or by any report, or by some letter said to be ours, saying the day of the Lord is at hand. °3 Do not let yourselves be deceived in any way. Apostasy must come first, when the man of Sin will appear, °4 that instrument of evil who opposes and defiles whatever is considered divine and holy, even to the point of sitting in the temple of God and claiming to be God. °5 Do you not remember I spoke of it when I was still with you? °6 But you also know what prevents him from appearing until his due time. °7 The mystery of sin is already at work, but the one who restrains it at present has to be taken away. °8 Then the wicked one will appear, whom the Lord is to sweep away with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the splendor of his coming. °9 This lawless one will appear with the power of Satan, performing miracles and wonderful signs at the service of deception. °10 All the deceits of evil will then be used for the ruin of those who refused to love truth and be saved. °11 This is why God will send them the power of delusion, that they may believe what is false. °12 So all those who chose wickedness instead of believing the truth will be condemned. § Persevere in faith°13 But we have to give thanks for you at all times, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. For God chose you from the beginning to be saved through true faith and to be made holy by the Spirit. °14 To this end he called you through the gospel we preach, for he willed you to share the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord. °15 Because of that, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions that we taught you by word or by letter. °16 May Christ Jesus our Lord who has loved us, may God our Father, who in his mercy gives us everlasting comfort and true hope, strengthen you. °17 May he encourage your hearts and make you steadfast in every good work and word. ¤3 °1 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the Word of God may finish the race and be crowned as it was with you. °2 May God guard us from wicked and evil people, since not everyone has faith. °3 The Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and keep you safe from the Evil One. °4 Besides, we have in the Lord this confidence that you are doing and will continue to do what we order you. °5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to perseverance for the sake of Christ. § Let everyone work°6 We command you, beloved, to stay away from believers who are living in idleness contrary to the traditions we passed on to you. °7 You know how you ought to follow our example: we worked while we were with you. °8 Day and night we labored and toiled so as not to be a burden to any of you. °9 We had the right to act otherwise, but we wanted to give you an example. °10 Besides, while we were with you, we said clearly: If anyone is not willing to work, neither should that one eat. °11 However we heard that some among you live in idleness – busybodies, doing no work. °12 In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord we command these people to work and earn their own living. °13 And you, brothers and sisters, do not weary in doing what is right. °14 If someone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note and do not have anything to do with him, so that he may be ashamed. °15 However, do not treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. °16 May the Lord of peace give you his peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with you all. °17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is my signature in all my letters. This is how I write. °18 May the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord be with you. The End. |