Reference: Thessalonians, Second Epistle To The
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THESSALONIANS, SECOND EPISTLE TO THE
1. Occasion and date.
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for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will lead many astray.
and many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray; and, because lawlessness abounds, the love of many will grow cold.
for there will arise false Christs and false prophets; and they will give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
The first narrative I made, O Theophilus, concerning all things that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after having given commandment, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles whom He chose; read more. to whom He also presented Himself alive, after He suffered, by many proofs; being seen by them during forty days, and speaking the things concerning the Kingdom of God. And, being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which said He, "Ye heard from Me;
And, being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which said He, "Ye heard from Me; because John, indeed, immersed in water, but ye shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit, not many days hence."
because John, indeed, immersed in water, but ye shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit, not many days hence." They, therefore, having come together, were asking Him, saying, "Lord, dost Thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?"
They, therefore, having come together, were asking Him, saying, "Lord, dost Thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not yours to know times or seasons, which the Father placed in His own authority;
He said to them, "It is not yours to know times or seasons, which the Father placed in His own authority; but ye shall receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the utmost limit of the earth."
but ye shall receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the utmost limit of the earth." And, having said these things, while they were beholding, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him from their sight.
And, having said these things, while they were beholding, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him from their sight. And, as they were gazing intently into the heaven, while He was ascending, behold, also two men stood by them in white apparel,
And, as they were gazing intently into the heaven, while He was ascending, behold, also two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do ye stand looking into the heaven? This Jesus, Who was taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld Him ascending into Heaven." read more. Then they returned to Jerusalem from a mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey.
And, when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled they were all together in one place;
And, when the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled they were all together in one place; and suddenly there came out of Heaven a sound, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
and suddenly there came out of Heaven a sound, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
and suddenly there came out of Heaven a sound, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues, as of fire, distributed among them; and it sat upon each one of them.
And there appeared to them tongues, as of fire, distributed among them; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, even as the Spirit was giving them to declare. read more. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven; and, when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were greatly surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed, and wondered, saying, "Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galilaeans? And how do we hear, each in our own language in which we were born; Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea, and also Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans, and Arabians??e hear them speaking in our own languages the wonderful works of God?" And they were all amazed, and perplexed, saying one to another, "What does this mean?" And others, mocking, said, "They have been filled with new wine!" But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and declared to them, "Men of Judaea, and all those dwelling in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and give ear to my words; for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, for it is the third hour of the day; but this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel: 'And it shall be in the last days', saith God, 'I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;
Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer??he ninth hour. And a certain man, lame from his mother's womb, was being carried along, whom they were wont to lay daily at the gate of the temple??hich was called "Beautiful"??o ask alms of those entering the temple; read more. who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, was asking to receive an alms. And Peter, fixing his eyes upon him, with John, said, "Look on us." And he was giving heed to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, this I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, walk." And, seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and instantly his feet and ankles were strengthened; and, leaping forth, he stood, and was walking about; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking about, and praising God; and they were recognizing him, that this was he who was wont to sit for alms, at the Beautiful gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened to him. And, as he was holding Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch, which is called Solomon's, greatly astonished.
And, as he was holding Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch, which is called Solomon's, greatly astonished. And Peter, seeing it, spake to the people, "Men of Israel, why do ye wonder at this? Or why look ye so intently on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk read more. The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Child Jesus, Whom ye, indeed, delivered up, and denied before Pilate's face, when he gave judgment to release Him; but ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked that a man?? murderer??e granted to you; and the Prince of life ye killed; Whom God raised from the dead??f which fact we are witnesses. And His name, by the faith of His name, gave strength to this man, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is through Him gave him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. "And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers;
"And now, brethren, I know that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers; but God thus fulfilled what He before announced through the mouth of all His prophets, that His Christ should suffer.
I know that, after my departure, grievous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among yourselves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Or, are ye ignorant, brethren, (for I am speaking to those who know law), that the law has dominion over the man as long as he lives? For the married woman has been bound by law to the living husband; but, if the husband dies, she is loosed from the law of the husband. read more. So, then, if, while the husband is living, she is married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but, if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that ye might be joined to another??o Him Who was raised from the dead??hat we might bear fruit to God. For, when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were through the law, were working in our members to bring forth fruit to death. But now we have been fully discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the teaching which ye learned; and turn away from them. For those who are such are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and, through their kind words and flattering speeches, they beguile the hearts of the simple. read more. For your obedience reached unto all. I rejoice, therefore, over you; but I wish you to be wise as to that which is good, but simple as to evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet speedily. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And what concord of Christ is there with Belial? or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ; and no wonder, for even Satan transforms himself into an angel of light! read more. It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end will be according to their works.
Tell me, ye who are wishing to be under law, do ye not hear the law? For it has been written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bond-woman, and one by the free-woman. read more. But the one by the bond-woman has been born after the flesh; and the one by the free-woman, through promise. Which things are an allegory; for these women are two covenants; one, indeed, from mount Sinai, bringing forth into servitude, which is Hagar (for the word Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia), and corresponds to the present Jerusalem; for she is in bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem which is above is free, which, indeed, is our mother; for it has been written, "Rejoice, O barren, that bear not! Break forth and cry, you that travail not! because many are the children of the desolate, rather than of her who has the husband." But ye, brethren, after the manner of Isaac, are children of promise. But, just as then, the one born after the flesh kept persecuting him born after the Spirit, so also is it now. But what says the Scripture? "Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall in nowise inherit with the son of the free-woman." Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a bond-woman, but of the free-woman.
Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of Thessalonians in God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you, and peace.
who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men;
who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and pleased not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the gentiles, that they might be saved, for the filling up of their sins always; and the wrath came upon them to the uttermost.
forbidding us to speak to the gentiles, that they might be saved, for the filling up of their sins always; and the wrath came upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, having been bereft of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more exceedingly to see your face, with great desire.
Wherefore, when no longer able to endure it, we were well pleased to be left behind at Athens alone,
But, Timothy having just now come to us from you, and having brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us at all times, longing to see us, as we also to see you??7 for this reason, brethren, we were comforted over you, in all our tribulation and distress, through your faith;
because now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we render again to God concerning you for all the joy wherewith we rejoice on your account before our God; read more. night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and perfect the deficiencies in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you; and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all, as we also do toward you, to the end that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
and to make it your aim to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we charged you;
For this we say to You, in a word of the Lord, that we, the living who remain over to the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede those who fell asleep; because the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven, with a shout, with a voice of an archangel, and with a trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; read more. after that we, the living who are left over, will be caught up together with them in clouds, into the air, to meet the Lord; and so shall we always be with the Lord.
after that we, the living who are left over, will be caught up together with them in clouds, into the air, to meet the Lord; and so shall we always be with the Lord.
for ye yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief at night. When they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in nowise escape.
And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all.
Paul, and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
since it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to those who cause you tribulation; and to you who suffer tribulation, relief with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power, in flaming fire,
and to you who suffer tribulation, relief with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power, in flaming fire, awarding vengeance to those who know not God, and to those who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus;
awarding vengeance to those who know not God, and to those who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus; who, indeed, shall pay a penalty, eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might,
who, indeed, shall pay a penalty, eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be marveled at in all who believed (because our testimony to you was believed), in that day.
Now we request you, brethren, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him,
Now we request you, brethren, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him,
Now we request you, brethren, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord has set in.
that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord has set in.
that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord has set in.
that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord has set in.
that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord has set in. Let no one deceive you in any manner; because that day will not come, unless the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed??he son of perdition;
Let no one deceive you in any manner; because that day will not come, unless the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed??he son of perdition;
Let no one deceive you in any manner; because that day will not come, unless the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed??he son of perdition;
Let no one deceive you in any manner; because that day will not come, unless the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed??he son of perdition;
Let no one deceive you in any manner; because that day will not come, unless the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed??he son of perdition;
Let no one deceive you in any manner; because that day will not come, unless the falling away come first, and the man of lawlessness be revealed??he son of perdition; he that opposes himself against, and exalts himself above, all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as God.
he that opposes himself against, and exalts himself above, all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as God.
he that opposes himself against, and exalts himself above, all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as God.
he that opposes himself against, and exalts himself above, all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as God.
he that opposes himself against, and exalts himself above, all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as God.
he that opposes himself against, and exalts himself above, all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as God. Do ye not remember that, when I was yet with you, I was wont to tell you these things?
Do ye not remember that, when I was yet with you, I was wont to tell you these things?
Do ye not remember that, when I was yet with you, I was wont to tell you these things?
Do ye not remember that, when I was yet with you, I was wont to tell you these things? And now ye know what hinders his being revealed in his own season;
And now ye know what hinders his being revealed in his own season; for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst.
for the mystery of lawlessness is already working: only He Who hindereth will hinder, until He is taken out of the midst. And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth, and will bring to nought by the manifestation of His presence;
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth, and will bring to nought by the manifestation of His presence;
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth, and will bring to nought by the manifestation of His presence;
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth, and will bring to nought by the manifestation of His presence;
And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth, and will bring to nought by the manifestation of His presence; him whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders,
him whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders,
him whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders,
him whose coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and signs and lying wonders, and in all deceit of unrighteousness to those who perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
and in all deceit of unrighteousness to those who perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
and in all deceit of unrighteousness to those who perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
and in all deceit of unrighteousness to those who perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And, for this cause, God sendeth them a working of delusion, that they may believe the lie;
And, for this cause, God sendeth them a working of delusion, that they may believe the lie;
And, for this cause, God sendeth them a working of delusion, that they may believe the lie;
And, for this cause, God sendeth them a working of delusion, that they may believe the lie; that they all may be judged, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
that they all may be judged, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
that they all may be judged, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
that they all may be judged, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
So, then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the instructions which ye were taught, whether through speech, or through letter of ours.
and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have the faith.
The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every letter; so I write.
Little children, it is the last hour; and, as ye heard that Anti-Christ is coming, even now many anti-christs have arisen; whence we know that it is the last hour.
Little children, it is the last hour; and, as ye heard that Anti-Christ is coming, even now many anti-christs have arisen; whence we know that it is the last hour.
Little children, it is the last hour; and, as ye heard that Anti-Christ is coming, even now many anti-christs have arisen; whence we know that it is the last hour.
Who is the liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Anti-Christ, he that denies the Father and the Son.
Who is the liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Anti-Christ, he that denies the Father and the Son.
and every spirit that confesses not Jesus is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Anti-Christ, of which ye have heard that it is coming, and now it is in the world already.
And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he was speaking as a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he makes the earth and those dwelling therein, to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed. read more. And he does great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of the heaven to the earth, in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to those dwelling on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, who has the stroke of the sword, and lived. And it was given to him to give spirit to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as worship not the image of the beast should be killed. And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead; and that no one should be able to buy or sell, except him who has the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is a number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty six.
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his presence, with which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image. The two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword of Him Who was sitting on the horse, the sword that went forth out of His mouth; and all the birds were filled with their flesh.
And the Devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where also the beast and the false prophet were cast; and they shall be tormented, day and night, forever and ever.
Smith
Thessalo'nians, Second Epistle to the,
appears to have been written from Corinth not very long after the first, for Silvanus and Timotheus were still with St. Paul.
In the former letter we saw chiefly the outpouring of strong personal affection, occasioned by the renewal of the apostle's intercourse with the Thessalonians, and the doctrinal and hortatory portions are there subordinate. In the Second Epistle, on the other hand, his leading motive seems to have been the desire of correcting errors in the church of Thessalonica. We notice two points especially which call for his rebuke:-- First, it seems that the anxious expectation of the Lord's advent. Instead of subsiding, had gained ground since the writing of the First Epistle. Second, the apostle had also a personal ground of complaint. His authority was not denied by any, but it was tampered with, and an unauthorized use was made of his name. It will be seen that the teaching of the Second Epistle is corrective of or rather supplemental to that of the first, and therefore presupposes it. This epistle, in the range of subject as well as in style and general character closely resembles the first; and the remarks made on that epistle apply for the most part equally well to this. The structure is somewhat similar the main body of the epistle being divided into two parts in the same way, and each part closing with a prayer. ch.
The epistle ends with a special direction and benediction. ch.
The external evidence in favor of the Second Epistle is somewhat more definite than that which can be brought in favor of the first. The internal character of the epistle too, as in the former case, bears the strongest testimony to its Pauline origin. Its genuineness, in fact, was never questioned until the beginning of the present century.
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to the one class a savor of death unto death, and to the other a savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as the many, making merchandise of the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.
But, whensoever it shall return to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. read more. But we all, with unveiled face, reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.