We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing.

It is a clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering,

since it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you

taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling, and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith,

Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way,

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

But we must always thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,

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

For you yourselves know how you must imitate us: We were not irresponsible among you;

we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and struggled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you.

For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others.