Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you.

For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you,

And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing – and will do – what we are commanding.

It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.”

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater.

when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed – and you did in fact believe our testimony.

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

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.

He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God’s temple, displaying himself as God.

But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.