It so increases that we ourselves make honourable mention of you among the Churches of God because of your patience and faith amid all your persecutions and amid the afflictions which you are enduring.

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.

It is with this view also that we continually pray to our God for you, asking that He will count you worthy of His call, and by His mighty power fully gratify your every desire for what is truly good and make your work of faith complete;

in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and that you may be glorified in Him--so wonderful is the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ!

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,

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?

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

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;

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

To this blessing God has called you by our Good News, so that you may have a share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, asking that the Lord's Message may be spread rapidly and its glory be displayed, as it was displayed among you;

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

And we have confidence in the Lord in regard to you that you are doing, and will do, what we command.

For you yourselves know that it is your duty to follow our example. There was no disorder in our lives among you,

For we hear that there are some of you who live disorderly lives and are mere idle busybodies.

To persons of that sort our injunction--and our command by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ--is that they are to work quietly and eat their own honestly-earned bread.

and if any one refuses to obey these our written instructions, mark that man and hold no communication with him--so that he may be made to feel ashamed.