They are proof positive of God's equity; you are suffering for the realm of God, and he means to make you worthy of it ??6 since God considers it but just to repay with trouble those who trouble you,

For after all it is only just for God to repay with distress those who distress you,

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God, and those who do not obey the glad tidings 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 comes to be glorified in His saints on that day [that is, glorified through the changed lives of those who have accepted Him as Savior and have been set apart for His purpose], and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed and trusted [and confirmed in your lives].

Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed],

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.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth 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:

who by the instigation of satan will make his parade with various arts, with fallacious signs and prodigies,

and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of the truth [of the gospel] so as to be saved [they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them].

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But we should and are [morally] obligated [as debtors] always to give thanks to God for you, believers beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through the sanctifying work of the Spirit [that sets you apart for God’s purpose] and by your faith in the truth [of God’s word that leads you to spiritual maturity].

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

and that we may be delivered from wrong-headed and wicked men; for it is not everybody who has faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Now we command you, believers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His authority, that you withdraw and keep away from every brother or sister who leads an undisciplined life and does not live in accordance with the tradition and teaching that you have received from us.

For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others.

Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

Now may the Lord Himself, [who is the source] of peace, give you peace at all times and in every circumstance. May the Lord be with all of you.