2 Thessalonians 2:6-12
New Catholic Bible
6 And you also know what is now restraining him,[a] so that he may not be revealed before his time comes. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who restrains it will continue to do so until he is removed.
The Two Comings.[b] 8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, and the Lord Jesus will slay him by the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.
9 His coming will be the work of Satan made manifest in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, 10 and in every wicked deception designed for those who are perishing because they refused to accept the love of the truth[c] and thereby gain salvation.
11 For this reason, God imposes on them a powerful delusion. They believe what is false, 12 so that all who have not believed the truth but instead have taken pleasure in wickedness will be condemned.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 2:6 What is now restraining him: some suggestions about the identity of this obstacle (in addition to the one mentioned in note 2:3b-12 above) are: the Roman State and its emperor; the principle of law embodied in the state; the Holy Spirit through the Church; and the preaching of the Gospel (possibly by Paul himself), for the end could not come until the Gospel was preached to all nations (see Mk 13:10).
- 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Paul describes what will precede the Lord’s coming. He glimpses, toward the end of human history, a spectacular offensive launched by the forces of evil under the instigation of Satan. A great apostasy will follow (see Mt 24:10-12; Lk 18:8; 21:12-19; 1 Tim 4:1). The lawless one is both anti-God and anti-Christ, but he will not have the last word. On the day, when he thinks he has conquered, he will be confronted with the dazzling manifestation of Christ and completely overcome.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10 Love of the truth: one of Paul’s most felicitous expressions, it refers to love of the Gospel, the acceptance of this unprecedented gift that comes from the Father, Christ, and the Spirit. To refuse it is to exclude oneself from love forever.
