The Second LETTER of PAUL to the THESSALONIANS

LAST GENERATION VERSION

Translation & Notes by Tim Warner
Copyright © www.4windsfellowships.net (Revised 8/26/22)

Chapter 1
Greeting

P
aul, and Silvanus,1 and Timothy, to the Congregation of Thessalonians in God
our Father and the Master, Jesus Anointed: 2 Grace to you and peace from God
our Father and [from] the Master, Jesus Anointed.

The Reward for Enduring Persecution & the Annihilation of the Persecutors
3 We are obliged to always thank God concerning you, brothers, just as it is appropriate
because your trust is flourishing and the love of each of you all for one another is
increasing. 4 So too, we ourselves boast in you among the congregations of God over
your endurance and trust in [the midst of] all your persecutions and afflictions which
you are tolerating.2 5 [This is] an indication of the just judgment of God, to consider you
worthy of the Kingdom of God3 over which you are also suffering, 6 since it is just to
repay those afflicting you with affliction from God, 7 and to [repay] you – the ones
being afflicted – [with] rest4 along with us at5 the revealing of the Master Jesus from the
sky with His mighty messengers,6 8 in blazing fire,7 delivering vengeance to those who
have not perceived God,8 also to those who disobey the Good Message of our Master,
Jesus Anointed.9 9 These10 shall incur the judgment of permanent annihilation11 from the

1 The formal name of Silas

2 1 Thess. 2:14
3 1 Thess. 2:12

4 See Hebrews 3 - 4

5 Persecution for Christians will cease at the second coming of the Anointed after the tribulation, not before (Matt.

24:29-31).
6 See notes on 1 Thess. 3:13

7 Isaiah 66:13-16; Mal. 4:1-3; 2 Peter 3:7-13

8 Referring to the pagans who chose to be ignorant of the one true God (Rom. 1:18-32)

9 Referring to the Jews who refused to believe Jesus, His Apostles, and the Good News (Rom. 2:1-11)

10 “These” are two distinct groups, which is evident from the Greek grammar (Granville Sharp construction – both

groups having the definite article yet separated by “”). It is significant that Paul’s language does not include those
who have never heard the Gospel, because in both groups the emphasis is on blatant rejection. The same is true in
similar passages that speak of the destruction of the wicked (cf. John 3:36). Nowhere does the Bible condemn to
permanent destruction the ignorant (cf. Rom. 4:15 & Rom. 5:13).
11 This expression leaves no room for unending torment of the wicked. See also: Psalm 37:10; Isaiah 1:28-31; Isaiah

66:24; Matt. 3:12; Mark 9:42-48; 2 Peter 2:6,12; Jude 1:7.

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presence of the Master and from the glory of His power 10 when12 He should come to
be esteemed among His holy ones,13 and to be marveled at among all the trusting ones
in that Day, because our witness to you was believed. 11 For this we are also praying
always concerning you so that our God may count you worthy of the invitation, and He
should fulfill, with power, every delight of goodness and act of trust, 12 by which the
name of our Master, Jesus Anointed may be glorified among you, and you in Him,
according to the grace of our God and the Master, Jesus Anointed.

Chapter 2
The Signs that Must Precede our Gathering by the Celestial Messengers
1 Yet we plead with you, brothers, concerning the arrival of our Master, Jesus Anointed
and the entire gathering of us together14 with Him, 2 not to be so quickly unsettled from
understanding,15 nor to be alarmed16 (not by a breath, nor by a message, nor by a letter
as if by us17) to the effect that the Day of the Anointed has become imminent.18 3 None
of you should succumb to anyone’s deception through any method.19 Because, should
not the apostasy come first20 and the revealing of the Man of Sin,21 the Son of
Destruction, 4 the one opposing and self-exalting above every named god or
worshipped thing, so also as a god to appoint himself into the Temple of God,
portraying himself that he is a god? 5 Don’t you remember that while being with you I
told you these things? 6 And now you have perceived that which restrains in order to
reveal him at his appointed time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already acting,
only one (is) now restraining until he should go out from between. 8 And then the

12 This term links the timing of the total destruction of the wicked with the gathering of Jesus’ elect, when they see
Him for the first time.
13 His holy messengers (See vs. 7 & the notes on 1 Thess. 3:13).

14 ἐπισυναγωγῆς the gathering of the entire elect at the resurrection and return of Jesus (Heb. 10:25 cf. Matt. 24:29-31,

Heb. 12:22-23)
15 From their former teaching by Paul in the first Epistle, particularly chapter 5, where he discussed the “times and

appointments,” and directed them to be soberly watching for the specific signs that Jesus gave in His Olivet
Discourse.
16 This is the term Jesus used in the Olivet Discourse when He told the disciples not to be “alarmed” by certain signs

that must precede the coming tribulation, but in themselves do not signal His return (Matt. 24:6; Mark 13:7).
17 See note on 2 Thess. 3:17.

18 The KJV has “is at hand,” (implying that they thought the Day of the Anointed was imminent) because the Greek

verb “” means to “stand near.” Most modern versions have “is present” because the verb is in the perfect
tense, which implies past completed action with results that continue to the present. However, “has become
imminent” embodies both meanings. (See: Heb. 9:9 for the same word with the same sense). Something had occurred
that was being falsely reported to signal the imminent coming of the Anointed.
19 None of the Thessalonians should have been deceived by reports that the Anointed’s return was imminent, because

Jesus had provided the sequence of events in His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24), including the apostasy followed by the
“abomination of desolation.”
20 Matthew 24:10-13

21 The “abomination of desolation” (Matt. 24:15), spoken of by Daniel (Dan. 9:27; Dan. 12:11)

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lawless one will be revealed (whom the Master will consume by the breath of His
mouth, and shall destroy by the Advent of His arrival) 9 whose arrival is in accord with
the energy of the Adversary with all power, and signs, and false miracles, 10 and with
every deception of injustice among those being destroyed because they rejected the love
of the truth for their deliverance. 11 And through this22 God will dispatch a fraudulent
energy for them to believe the lie, 12 so that all those having disbelieved the truth, but
having delighted in injustice, should be condemned.

Exhortation to Stand Firm

13 Yet we are obliged to always thank God concerning you, brothers having been
beloved23 under the Master, that God chose you from the beginning unto deliverance by
purification of the breath24 and trust of the truth, 14 into which he invited you through
our Good Message for procuring of the glory25 of our Master, Jesus Anointed. 15
Consequently then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught,
whether by word26 or by our letter. 16 And may our Master, Jesus Anointed Himself
and God our Father – the One having loved us and having given us permanent
consolation and a good hope by grace – 17 console your hearts, and may He establish
you in every word and good deed.

Chapter 3
Request for Prayer
1 Furthermore, brothers, pray for us so that the word of the Master may progress
swiftly and may be valued, just like [it is] also with you, 2 and so that we may be
rescued from injurious and wicked men, since faithfulness is not from all. 3 But the
Master is faithful, who will strengthen you and guard [you] from the wicked.27 4 Yet we
have confidence concerning you in the Master, that what we are commanding you, you

22 God’s dispatching the fraudulent energy is by means of the restrainer removing himself from the midst of his
restraining the working of the Adversary. Thus, it is not that God Himself deceives people. Rather, the full deception
is now being held back and restrained at His command, but will be released at the appointed time so that those
refusing the truth may condemn themselves by their swift embracing of the deception, thus revealing their true
motives and hearts.
23 See notes on 1 Thess. 1:4.

24 See notes on 1 Thess. 5:23 & Heb. 12:23.

25 This is accomplished in the resurrection. See: Rom. 8:18-21

26 The oral teaching of the Apostles has not been preserved for us intact. However, there are imperfect witnesses to it

in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, a source that is neglected by most modern Christians.
27 The articular genitive, singular, masculine noun “ ” can refer either to “the wicked one” or to “the

wicked” as a single class of people. The previous verse makes it clear that the latter interpretation is correct here. See
also John 17:15.

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are also doing and will do. 5 And may the Master guide your hearts unto the love of
God and the endurance of the Anointed.28

Separate from Those Walking Disorderly

6 Yet we command you, brothers, in the name of our Master, Jesus Anointed, to
separate yourselves from every brother who is walking disorderly and not according to
the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves have observed how [you]
are to imitate us because we were not disorderly among you.29 8 We did not eat bread
gratuitously from anyone, but in work and labor, working night and day so as not to
burden any of you. 9 It is not that we have no authority30 [to do so], but so that we may
provide ourselves as an example to you for you to imitate us. 10 For when we were
with you, this is what we commanded you: that if anyone is unwilling to work, neither
let him eat. 11 For we hear [that] some are walking disorderly among you, working at
nothing, but meddling. 12 Yet we command such, and urge by our Master, Jesus
Anointed, so that working with quietness they may eat their own bread. 13 Yet you,
brothers, should not become tired doing good. 14 But if anyone does not obey our word
through this letter, determine also not to associate with him so that he may be ashamed.
15 Also, do not consider him like an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Closing Salutation
16 Now may the Master of peace Himself give you peace through all, in every way. The
Master [be] with you all. 17 The salute with my own hand – Paul’s – which is the token
in every letter, this I write:31 18 The grace of our Master, Jesus Anointed [be] with you
all, Amen.

28 Measuring up to the endurance that the Anointed Himself demonstrated under trials and persecution (See: Heb.
12:1-4).
29 See 1 Thess. 2:1-12

30 See note on 1 Thess. 2:6

31 While Paul dictated his letters and had others of his team write them for him (except Galatians which he wrote

entirely himself), he closed every letter (including Hebrews) with this salute, written in his own handwriting. This
was his signature which validated the original autograph as being authentic. This practice was no doubt to counter
false letters claiming to be from Paul, as he mentioned in 2 Thess. 2:2.