1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet him, I entreat you, brothers,

2 not to be "quickly shaken out of your wits" and not to be agitated either by a spirit or by a message, or by an epistle purporting to be from me, saying, "The Day of the Lord is at hand."

3 Let no one deceive you by any means. For it will not come until after the Great Apostasy, and the revealing of the Man of Sin, the son of perdition,

4 the adversary, who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God, or is an object of worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, and vaunts himself as God.

5 Do you not recall that I often told you this, when I was with you?

6 And now you know what is holding him back, to the end that he may be revealed in his appointed time.

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only there is one who is hindering and will continue to hinder till he be removed;

8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. Him the Lord will consume with the breath of his lips, and destroy with the brightness of his appearing;

9 even he whose coming is according to the energy of Satan, in every power and sign and lying wonder,

10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth for their salvation.

11 For this reason God is sending on them an energy of delusion, that they should put faith in a falsehood;

12 so that they all should be condemned, who are faithless to the truth, but take pleasure in evil.

13 But for you, brothers, whom the Lord loves, I ought to give thanks to God continually, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation in consecration of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

14 For this he called you through my gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So, brothers, stand fast, and hold fast the teachings which you have been taught by me, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 And may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and a good hope in grace,

17 comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good work and word.