We ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you are enduring.

This is evidence of God's righteous judgment, so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

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

and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and may fulfill every good resolve and work of faith by his power,

Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

For this reason God sends upon them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false,

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it did also with you,

and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith.

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,

nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If anyone will not work, he shall not eat."

For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, not doing any work at all, but acting like busybodies.

But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.