So much is this the case that we ourselves speak with pride, before the Churches of God, of the patience and faith which you have shown, in spite of all the persecutions and troubles that you are enduring.

When he comes to be honour ed in his People,' and to be revered in all who have learned to believe in him (for you also believed our testimony)--as he will be on 'That Day.'

With this in view, our constant prayer for you is that our God may count you worthy of the Call that you have received, and by his power make perfect your delight in all goodness and the efforts that have resulted from your faith.

Not lightly to let your minds become unsettled, nor yet to be disturbed by any revelation, or by any message, or by any letter, purporting to come from us, to the effect that the Day of the Lord is come.

Do not let any one deceive you, whatever he may do. For it will not come until after the Great Apostasy, and the appearing of that Incarnation of Wickedness, that the Lost soul,

Who so opposes himself to every one that is spoken of as a God or as an object of worship, and so exalts himself above them, that he seats himself in the Temple of God, and displays himself as God!

That is why God places them under the influence of a delusion, to cause them to believe a lie;

So that sentence may be passed on all those who refuse to believe the Truth, but delight in wickedness.

Stand firm then, Brothers, and hold fast to the truths that we taught you, whether by word or by letter.

Console your hearts, and strengthen you to do and to say all that is right.

In conclusion, Brothers, pray for us--pray that the Lord's Message may spread rapidly, and be received everywhere with honour, as it was among you;

And that we may be preserved from wrong-headed and wicked men- -for it is not every one who believes in Christ.

Yes, and the confidence that our union with the Lord enables us to place in you leads us to believe that you are doing, and will do, what we direct you.

We urge you, Brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to avoid any Brother who is living an ill-ordered life, which is not in agreement with the teaching that you received from us.

For you know well that you ought to follow our example. When we were with you, our life was not ill-ordered,

We hear that there are among you people who are living ill- ordered lives, and who, instead of attending to their own business, are mere busy-bodies.

If any one disregards what we have said in this letter, mark that man and avoid his company, that he may feel ashamed.