1Now we ask you, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, [2:2] not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as if from us, as though the day of the Lord has come. [2:3] Let no one deceive you in any way, because that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed — the son of destruction, [2:4] who is opposing and exalting himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he seats himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. [2:5] Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? [2:6] And now you know what is restraining him, so that he may be revealed in his own time. [2:7] For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is out of the way. [2:8] And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will execute with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearing of his coming. [2:9] The coming of the lawless one is by the working of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, [2:10] and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. [2:11] And for this reason God sends them a working of delusion, for them to believe the lie, [2:12] so that all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.
2TH 2:1-12
The Man of Lawlessness
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st century, the (coming) of a ruler or dignitary was a well-known concept, often marked by pomp, ceremony, and the expectation of judgment or benefaction. For Jewish and early Christian audiences, the of Jesus Christ would evoke both hope and fear, tied to eschatological expectations of divine intervention. The mention of (apostasy) would resonate deeply, as rebellion against God or covenant loyalty was a grave concern in Jewish thought, often linked to idolatry or political betrayal. The 'man of lawlessness' would be understood as a figure embodying ultimate opposition to divine order, perhaps evoking memories of Antiochus IV Epiphanes or Roman emperors who demanded divine honors. The language of (to oppose) and (to destroy) suggests a cosmic struggle, where this figure actively undermines divine authority. Early readers would interpret this as a warning against deception and a call to steadfastness in the face of eschatological turmoil, rooted in their lived experience of Roman imperial power and Jewish apocalyptic traditions.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
2TH 2:1
- KJV
- Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
- BSB
- Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers,
- Koinōnos
- Now we ask you, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him,
2TH 2:2
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.
- Koinōnos
- not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as if from us, as though the day of the Lord has come.
2TH 2:3
- KJV
- 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;
- BSB
- Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
- Koinōnos
- Let no one deceive you in any way, because that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed — the son of destruction,
2TH 2:4
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
- Koinōnos
- who is opposing and exalting himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he seats himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
2TH 2:5
- KJV
- Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
- BSB
- Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you?
- Koinōnos
- Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
2TH 2:6
- KJV
- And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
- BSB
- And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
- Koinōnos
- And now you know what is restraining him, so that he may be revealed in his own time.
2TH 2:7
- KJV
- For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
- BSB
- For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way.
- Koinōnos
- For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is out of the way.
2TH 2:8
- KJV
- 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:
- BSB
- And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.
- Koinōnos
- And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will execute with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearing of his coming.
2TH 2:9
- KJV
- Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- BSB
- The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
- Koinōnos
- The coming of the lawless one is by the working of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,
2TH 2:10
- KJV
- And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
- BSB
- and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
- Koinōnos
- and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
2TH 2:11
- KJV
- And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
- BSB
- For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie,
- Koinōnos
- And for this reason God sends them a working of delusion, for them to believe the lie,
2TH 2:12
- KJV
- That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
- BSB
- in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.
- Koinōnos
- so that all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Where the historical framing draws from
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.8.1
- Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.8.5
- Josephus, WarsWars 2.13.4
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.8.1
“This man was a teacher of a peculiar sect of his own, and was not at all like the rest of those their leaders.”
Cited to ground: rebellion against God or covenant loyalty was a grave concern in Jewish thought, often linked to idolatry or political betrayal.
›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.8.5
“but the commands of the emperor, and told them that his wrath would, without delay, be executed on such as had the courage to disobey what he had commanded”
Cited to ground: The 'man of lawlessness' would be understood as a figure embodying ultimate opposition to divine order, perhaps evoking memories of Antiochus IV Epiphanes or Roman emperors who demanded divine honors.
›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.13.4
“These were such men as deceived and deluded the people under pretense of Divine inspiration, but were for procuring innovations and changes of the government”
Cited to ground: Early readers would interpret this as a warning against deception and a call to steadfastness in the face of eschatological turmoil, rooted in their lived experience of Roman imperial power and Jewish apocalyptic traditions.
Translator's notes
2TH 2:1
- coming:The word translated 'coming' refers to an arrival that marks a significant presence, often with implications of authority or official visitation, rather than just a simple arrival.
2TH 2:3
- apostasy:The term 'apostasy' here means a deliberate and complete rebellion or defection from a previously held religious or political allegiance, not merely a disagreement or lapse.
2TH 2:4
- is opposing:The word translated 'is opposing' suggests an active and continuous state of being set against or in opposition to something, rather than a passive or occasional resistance.
2TH 2:8
- will execute:The word translated 'will execute' carries the strong sense of taking away or destroying, often specifically referring to killing or putting to death, rather than a general execution of a task.