2 Thessalonians 2:7

2:7 For the hidden power of lawlessness ¹  is already at work. However, the one who holds him back ²  will do so until he is taken out of the way,

2 Thessalonians 2:2

2:2 not to be easily ³  shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, ⁴  to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Request for Prayer

3:1 Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, ⁵  that the Lord’s message ⁶  may spread quickly and be honored ⁷  as in fact it was among you, 3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith. 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he ⁸  will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 3:4 And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing – and will do – what we are commanding. 3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God ⁹  and the endurance of Christ. ¹⁰ 

[2:7]  ¹ tn Grk “the mystery of lawlessness.” In Paul “mystery” often means “revealed truth, something formerly hidden but now made widely known,” but that does not make sense with the verb of this clause (“to be at work, to be active”).

[2:7]  ² tn Grk “the one who restrains.” This gives a puzzling contrast to the impersonal phrase in v. 6 (“the thing that restrains”). The restraint can be spoken of as a force or as a person. Some have taken this to mean the Roman Empire in particular or human government in general, since these are forces that can also be seen embodied in a person, the emperor or governing head. But apocalyptic texts like Revelation and Daniel portray human government of the end times as under Satanic control, not holding back his influence. Also the power to hold back Satanic forces can only come from God. So others understand this restraint to be some force from God: the preaching of the gospel or the working of the Holy Spirit through God’s people.

[2:2]  ³ tn Or “quickly, soon.”

[2:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “as through us.”

[3:1]  ⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:3.

[3:1]  ⁶ tn Or “the word of the Lord.”

[3:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “may run and be glorified.”

[3:3]  ⁸ tn Grk “who.”

[3:5]  ⁹ tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ (thn agaphn tou qeou, “the love of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“God’s love”) or an objective genitive (“your love for God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on believers being directed toward the love God gives which in turn produces increased love in them for him.

[3:5]  ¹⁰ tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ (thn Jupomonhn tou Cristou, “the endurance of Christ”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“Christ’s endurance”) or an objective genitive (“endurance for Christ”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on believers being directed toward the endurance Christ showed which in turn produces endurance in them for him.