1 The Great Apostasy Now, brethren, Mark 13:26; (1 Thess. 4:15–17) concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Matt. 24:31 and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2 Matt. 24:4 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come 1 Tim. 4:1 unless the falling away comes first, and Dan. 7:25; 8:25; 11:36;2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 13:5 the man of sin is revealed, John 17:12 the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and Is. 14:13, 14; Ezek. 28:2 exalts himself 1 Cor. 8:5 above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 For 1 John 2:18 the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, Dan. 7:10 whom the Lord will consume Is. 11:4; Rev. 2:16; 19:15 with the breath of His mouth and destroy Heb. 10:27 with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is John 8:41 according to the working of Satan, with all power, Deut. 13:1 signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among 2 Cor. 2:15 those who perish, because they did not receive 1 Cor. 16:22 the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And Rom. 1:28 for this reason God will send them strong delusion, 1 Tim. 4:1 that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but Rom. 1:32;1 Cor. 13:6 had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 Stand Fast But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God Eph. 1:4 from the beginning 1 Thess. 1:4 chose you for salvation 1 Thess. 4:7; (1 Pet. 1:2) through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by our gospel, for 1 Pet. 5:10 the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, 1 Cor. 16:13 stand fast and hold Rom. 6:17;1 Cor. 11:2;2 Thess. 3:6; Jude 3 the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, (Rev. 1:5) who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and Titus 3:7;1 Pet. 1:3 good hope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts 1 Cor. 1:8 and establish you in every good word and work.