1 Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you 2 not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? 6 Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the manifestation of his coming; 9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 Because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion, that they should believe a lie, 12 that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

1 Maar ons vra julle, broeders, met die oog op die wederkoms van onse Here Jesus Christus en ons vereniging met Hom,

2 om nie gou julle verstand te verloor of verskrik te word nie -- deur gees of deur woord of deur brief wat van ons afkomstig sou wees -- asof die dag van Christus al daar is.

3 Laat niemand julle op enige manier mislei nie, want eers moet die afval kom en die mens van sonde geopenbaar word, die seun van die verderf

4 die teëstander wat hom verhef bo al wat God genoem word of voorwerp van aanbidding is, sodat hy in die tempel van God as God sal sit en voorgee dat hy God is.

5 Onthou julle nie dat ek dit altyd vir julle gesê het toe ek nog by julle was nie?

6 En nou, julle weet wat hom teëhou, sodat hy op sy tyd geopenbaar kan word.

7 Want die verborgenheid van die ongeregtigheid is al aan die werk, net totdat hy wat nou teëhou, uit die weg geruim is;

8 en dan sal die ongeregtige geopenbaar word, hy wat die Here met die asem van sy mond sal verdelg en deur die verskyning van sy wederkoms tot niet sal maak,

9 hy wie se koms is volgens die werking van die Satan met allerhande kragtige dade en tekens en wonders van die leuen

10 en met allerhande verleiding van ongeregtigheid in die wat verlore gaan, omdat hulle die liefde tot die waarheid nie aangeneem het om gered te word nie.

11 En daarom sal God hulle die krag van die dwaling stuur, om die leuen te glo,

12 sodat almal geoordeel kan word wat die waarheid nie geglo het nie, maar behae gehad het in die ongeregtigheid.

13 Maar ons moet God altyd oor julle dank, broeders wat deur die Here bemin word, dat God julle van die begin af verkies het tot saligheid in heiligmaking van die Gees en geloof in die waarheid,

14 waartoe Hy julle geroep het deur ons evangelie om die heerlikheid van onse Here Jesus Christus te verkry.

15 So dan, broeders, staan vas en hou julle aan die voorskrifte wat julle geleer is •f deur 'n woord •f deur 'n brief van ons.

16 En mag onse Here Jesus Christus self en onse God en Vader, wat ons liefgehad het en 'n ewige troos en goeie hoop in genade gegee het,

17 julle harte vertroos en julle versterk in alle goeie woorde en werke!