2nd Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians chapter 1. Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus to the Church of the Thessalonians and God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly in the charity of every one of you all towards each other abounds, so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith and all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure. which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer, seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. And to you who are troubled, rest with us. For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, and flaming fire take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. and from the glory of His power, when He shall come to be glorified in the saints and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power. that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter 2 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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. 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, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as God, sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember you not that when I was yet with you I told you these things? And now you know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity does already work. Only he who now lets will let until he be taken out of the way. 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. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness and them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle, now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God, even our Father, which has loved us and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. Chapter 3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. For all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that you both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience waiting for Christ. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly. and not, after the tradition which you received of us, for yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we behave not ourselves disorderly among you, neither did we eat any man's bread, for not, but wrought with labor and trial fell night and day, that we may not be chargeable to any of you, not because we have not power. but to make ourselves an ensemble unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they were can eat our own bread. But you, brethren, be not weary in well-doing. 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. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now the Lord appease himself, give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with one own hand, which is a token in every epistle, so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.