"for many will come assuming my name and saying 'I am the Christ;' and they will mislead many.

Many false prophets will rise up and lead multitudes astray; and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold;

For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying wonderful signs and prodigies, so as to deceive, were it possible, even God's own People.

My former narrative, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught as a beginning, down to the day on which, after giving instruction through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom He had chosen, He was taken up to Heaven. read more. He had also, after He suffered, shown Himself alive to them with many sure proofs, appearing to them at intervals during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God. And while in their company He charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promised gift. "This you have heard of," He said, "from me.

And while in their company He charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promised gift. "This you have heard of," He said, "from me. For John indeed baptized with water, but before many days have passed you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

For John indeed baptized with water, but before many days have passed you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Once when they were with Him, they asked Him, "Master, is this the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?"

Once when they were with Him, they asked Him, "Master, is this the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?" "It is not for you," He replied, "to know times or epochs which the Father has reserved within His own authority;

"It is not for you," He replied, "to know times or epochs which the Father has reserved within His own authority; and yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and to the remotest parts of the earth."

and yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and to the remotest parts of the earth." When He had said this, and while they were looking at Him, He was carried up, and a cloud closing beneath Him hid Him from their sight.

When He had said this, and while they were looking at Him, He was carried up, and a cloud closing beneath Him hid Him from their sight. But, while they stood intently gazing into the sky as He went, suddenly there were two men in white garments standing by them,

But, while they stood intently gazing into the sky as He went, suddenly there were two men in white garments standing by them, who said, "Galilaeans, why stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into Heaven will come in just the same way as you have seen Him going into Heaven." read more. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Oliveyard, which is near Jerusalem, about a mile off.

At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met in one place;

At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met in one place; when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting;

when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting;

when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting; and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person a tongue alighted.

and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person a tongue alighted. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them words to utter. read more. Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world. So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together, and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken. They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed, "Are not all these speakers Galilaeans? How then does each of us hear his own native language spoken by them? Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are inhabitants of Mesopotamia, of Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the Asian Province, of Phrygia or Pamphylia, of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards Cyrene. Others are visitors from Rome--being either Jews or converts from heathenism--and others are Cretans or Arabians. Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done." They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another, "What can this mean?" But others, scornfully jeering, said, "They are brim-full of sweet wine." Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. "Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," he said, "be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say. For this is not intoxication, as you suppose, it being only the third hour of the day. But that which was predicted through the Prophet Joel has happened: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, God says, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall have dreams;

One day Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the hour of prayer--the ninth hour--and, just then, some men were carrying there one who had been lame from birth, whom they were wont to place every day close to the Beautiful Gate (as it was called) read more. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he asked them for alms. Peter fixing his eyes on him, as John did also, said, "Look at us." So he looked and waited, expecting to receive something from them. "I have no silver or gold," Peter said, "but what I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene-- walk!" Then taking his hand Peter lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. Leaping up, he stood upright and began to walk, and went into the Temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God; and recognizing him as the man who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple asking for alms, they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened to him. While he still clung to Peter and John, the people, awe-struck, ran up crowding round them in what was known as Solomon's Portico.

While he still clung to Peter and John, the people, awe-struck, ran up crowding round them in what was known as Solomon's Portico. Peter, seeing this, spoke to the people. "Israelites," he said, "why do you wonder at this man? Or why gaze at us, as though by any power or piety of our own we had enabled him to walk? read more. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has conferred this honour on His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to let Him go. Yes, you disowned the holy and righteous One, and asked as a favour the release of a murderer. The Prince of Life you put to death; but God has raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses as to that. It is His name-- faith in that name being the condition--which has strengthened this man whom you behold and know; and the faith which He has given has made this man sound and strong again, as you can all see. "And now, brethren, I know that it was in ignorance that you did it, as was the case with your rulers also.

"And now, brethren, I know that it was in ignorance that you did it, as was the case with your rulers also. But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He made through all the Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.

I know that, when I am gone, cruel wolves will come among you and will not spare the flock; and that from among your own selves men will rise up who will seek with their perverse talk to draw away the disciples after them.

Brethren, do you not know--for I am writing to people acquainted with the Law--that it is during our lifetime that we are subject to the Law? A wife, for instance, whose husband is living is bound to him by the Law; but if her husband dies the law that bound her to him has now no hold over her. read more. This accounts for the fact that if during her husband's life she lives with another man, she will be stigmatized as an adulteress; but that if her husband is dead she is no longer under the old prohibition, and even though she marries again, she is not an adulteress. So, my brethren, to you also the Law died through the incarnation of Christ, that you might be wedded to Another, namely to Him who rose from the dead in order that we might yield fruit to God. For whilst we were under the thraldom of our earthly natures, sinful passions-- made sinful by the Law--were always being aroused to action in our bodily faculties that they might yield fruit to death. But seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage, the Law has now no hold over us, so that we render a service which, instead of being old and formal, is new and spiritual.

But I beseech you, brethren, to keep a watch on those who are causing the divisions among you, and are leading others into sin, in defiance of the instruction which you have received; and habitually to shun them. For men of that stamp are not bondservants of Christ our Lord, but are slaves to their own appetites; and by their plausible words and their flattery they utterly deceive the minds of the simple. read more. Your fidelity to the truth is everywhere known. I rejoice over you, therefore, but I wish you to be wise as to what is good, and simple-minded as to what is evil. And before long, God the giver of peace will crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

Where can harmony between Christ and Belial be found? Or what participation has a believer with an unbeliever?

For men of this stamp are sham apostles, dishonest workmen, assuming the garb of Apostles of Christ. And no wonder. Satan, their master, can disguise himself as an angel of light. read more. It is therefore no great thing for his servants also to disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be in accordance with their actions.

Tell me--you who want to continue to be subject to Law--will you not listen to the Law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-girl and one by the free woman. read more. But we see that the child of the slave-girl was born in the common course of nature; but the child of the free woman in fulfilment of the promise. All this is allegorical; for the women represent two Covenants. One has its origin on Mount Sinai, and bears children destined for slavery. This is Hagar; for the name Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, which is in bondage together with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and *she* is *our* mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren woman that bearest not, break forth into a joyful cry, thou that dost not travail with child. For the desolate woman has many children--more indeed than she who has the husband." But you, brethren, like Isaac, are children born in fulfilment of a promise. Yet just as, at that time, the child born in the common course of nature persecuted the one whose birth was due to the power of the Spirit, so it is now. But what says the Scripture? "Send away the slave-girl and her son, for never shall the slave-girl's son share the inheritance with the son of the free woman." Therefore, brethren, since we are not the children of a slave-girl, but of the free woman--

Paul, Silas, and Timothy: To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be granted to you.

Those Jewish persecutors killed both the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, and drove us out of their midst. They are displeasing to God, and are the enemies of all mankind;

Those Jewish persecutors killed both the Lord Jesus and the Prophets, and drove us out of their midst. They are displeasing to God, and are the enemies of all mankind; for they still try to prevent our preaching to the Gentiles so that they may find salvation. They thus continually fill up the measure of their own sins, and God's anger in its severest form has overtaken them.

for they still try to prevent our preaching to the Gentiles so that they may find salvation. They thus continually fill up the measure of their own sins, and God's anger in its severest form has overtaken them. But we, brethren, having been for a short time separated from you in bodily presence, though not in heart, endeavoured all the more earnestly, with intense longing, to see you face to face.

So when we could endure it no longer, we decided to remain behind in Athens alone;

But now that Timothy has recently come back to us from you, and has brought us the happy tidings of your faith and love, and has told us how you still cherish a constant and affectionate recollection of us, and are longing to see us as we also long to see you-- for this reason in our distress and trouble we have been comforted about you, brethren, by your faith. read more. For now life is for us life indeed, since you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving on your behalf can we possibly offer to God in return for all the joy which fills our souls before our God for you, while night and day, with intense earnestness, we pray that we may see your faces, and may bring to perfection whatever may be still lacking in your faith? But may our God and Father Himself--and our Lord Jesus--guide us on our way to you; and as for you, may the Lord teach you to love one another and all men, with a growing and a glowing love, resembling our love for you. Thus He will build up your characters, so that you will be faultlessly holy in the presence of our God and Father at the Coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones.

and to vie with one another in eagerness for peace, every one minding his own business and working with his hands, as we ordered you to do:

For this we declare to you on the Lord's own authority--that we who are alive and continue on earth until the Coming of the Lord, shall certainly not forestall those who shall have previously passed away. For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven with a loud word of command, and with an archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. read more. Afterwards we who are alive and are still on earth will be caught up in their company amid clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Afterwards we who are alive and are still on earth will be caught up in their company amid clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. While they are saying "Peace and safety!" then in a moment destruction falls upon them, like birth-pains on a woman who is with child; and escape there is none.

And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the timid, sustain the weak, and be patient towards all.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy: To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A plain token of God's righteous judgement, I say, since it is a righteous thing for Him to requite with affliction those who are now afflicting you; and to requite with rest you who are suffering affliction now--rest with us at the re-appearing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven, attended by His mighty angels.

and to requite with rest you who are suffering affliction now--rest with us at the re-appearing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven, attended by His mighty angels. He will come in flames of fire to take vengeance on those who have no knowledge of God, and do not obey the Good News as to Jesus, our Lord.

He will come in flames of fire to take vengeance on those who have no knowledge of God, and do not obey the Good News as to Jesus, our Lord. They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, being banished from the presence of the Lord and from His glorious majesty,

They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, being banished from the presence of the Lord and from His glorious majesty, when He comes on that day to be glorified in His people and to be wondered at among all who have believed, including you--because you believed the testimony which we brought for your acceptance.

But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren,

But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren,

But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren, not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled--either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us--through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here. Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against,

Let no one in any way deceive you, for that day cannot come without the coming of the apostasy first, and the appearing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, who sets himself against, and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this?

Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this?

Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this?

Do you not remember that while I was still with you I used to tell you all this? And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time.

And now you know what restrains him, in order that his true character may be revealed at his appointed time. For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed,

For lawlessness is already at work in secret; but only until the man who is now exercising a restraining influence is removed, and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.

and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.

and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.

and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming.

and then the Lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will sweep away with the tempest of His anger, and utterly overwhelm by the awful splendour of His Coming. The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works--

The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works--

The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works--

The appearing of the Lawless one will be attended by various miracles and tokens and delusive marvels--for so Satan works-- and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved. And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie;

And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie;

And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie;

And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie; in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.

in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.

in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.

in order that all may come under judgement who have refused to believe the truth and have taken pleasure in unrighteousness.

So then, brethren, stand your ground, and hold fast to the teachings which you have received from us, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

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

I Paul add the greeting with my own hand, which is the credential in every letter of mine.

Dear children, the last hour has come; and as you once heard that there was to be an anti-Christ, so even now many anti-Christs have appeared. By this we may know that the last hour has come.

Dear children, the last hour has come; and as you once heard that there was to be an anti-Christ, so even now many anti-Christs have appeared. By this we may know that the last hour has come.

Dear children, the last hour has come; and as you once heard that there was to be an anti-Christ, so even now many anti-Christs have appeared. By this we may know that the last hour has come.

Who is a liar compared with him who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He who disowns the Father and the Son is the anti-Christ.

Who is a liar compared with him who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He who disowns the Father and the Son is the anti-Christ.

and that no spirit is from God which does not acknowledge this about Jesus. Such is the spirit of the anti-Christ; of whose coming you have heard, and it is already in the world.

Then I saw another Wild Beast, coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. And the authority of the first Wild Beast--the whole of that authority--he exercises in his presence, and he causes the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first Wild Beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. read more. He also works great miracles, so as even to make fire come down from Heaven to earth in the presence of human beings. And his power of leading astray the inhabitants of the earth is due to the marvels which he has been permitted to work in the presence of the Wild Beast. And he told the inhabitants of the earth to erect a statue to the Wild Beast who had received the sword-stroke and yet had recovered. And power was granted him to give breath to the statue of the Wild Beast, so that the statue of the Wild Beast could even speak and cause all who refuse to worship it to be put to death. And he causes all, small and great, rich and poor, free men and slaves, to have stamped upon them a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, in order that no one should be allowed to buy or sell unless he had the mark--either the name of the Wild Beast or the number which his name represents. Here is scope for ingenuity. Let people of shrewd intelligence calculate the number of the Wild Beast; for it indicates a certain man, and his number is 666.

who had done the miracles in his presence with which he had led astray those who had received the mark of the Wild Beast, and those who worshipped his statue. Both of them were thrown alive into the Lake of fire that was all ablaze with sulphur. But the rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the Rider on the horse. And the birds all fed ravenously upon their flesh.

and the Devil, who had been leading them astray, was thrown into the Lake of fire and sulphur where the Wild Beast and the false Prophet were, and day and night they will suffer torture until the Ages of the Ages.

to the last-named an odor of death predictive of death, and to the others an odor of life predictive of life. And for such service as this who is competent? We are; for, unlike most teachers, we are not fraudulent hucksters of God's Message; but with transparent motives, as commissioned by God, in God's presence and in communion with Christ, so we speak.

But whenever the heart of the nation shall have returned to the Lord, the veil will be withdrawn. Now by "the Lord" is meant the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is enjoyed. read more. And all of us, with unveiled faces, reflecting like bright mirrors the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same likeness, from one degree of radiant holiness to another, even as derived from the Lord the Spirit.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy: To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.