1 A nd we ask you, brethren, in regard to the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him,

But relative to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and our gathering together to Him, we beg you, brethren,

2 t hat ye be not quickly shaken in mind, nor be troubled, neither through spirit, neither through word, neither through letters as through us, as that the day of Christ hath arrived;

Not to allow your minds to be quickly unsettled or disturbed or kept excited or alarmed, whether it be by some revelation of Spirit or by word or by letter from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has arrived and is here.

3 l et not any one deceive you in any manner, because -- if the falling away may not come first, and the man of sin be revealed -- the son of the destruction,

Let no one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day will not come except the apostasy comes first '> falling away of those who have professed to be Christians has come], and the man of lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of doom (of perdition),

4 w ho is opposing and is raising himself up above all called God or worshipped, so that he in the sanctuary of God as God hath sat down, shewing himself off that he is God --.

Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God.

5 D o ye not remember that, being yet with you, these things I said to you?

Do you not recollect that when I was still with you, I told you these things?

6 a nd now, what is keeping down ye have known, for his being revealed in his own time,

And now you know what is restraining him; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own time.

7 f or the secret of the lawlessness doth already work, only he who is keeping down now -- till he may be out of the way,

For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way.

8 a nd then shall be revealed the Lawless One, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the manifestation of his presence,

And then the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by His appearing at His coming.

9 w hose presence is according to the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders,

The coming is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of miracles and signs and delusive marvels— lying wonders—

10 a nd in all deceitfulness of the unrighteousness in those perishing, because the love of the truth they did not receive for their being saved,

And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing (going to perdition) because they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved.

11 a nd because of this shall God send to them a working of delusion, for their believing the lie,

Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false,

12 t hat they may be judged -- all who did not believe the truth, but were well pleased in the unrighteousness.

In order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe in the Truth, but took pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 A nd we -- we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, that God did choose you from the beginning to salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth,

But we, brethren beloved by the Lord, ought and are obligated to give thanks always to God for you, because God chose you from the beginning as His firstfruits (first converts) for salvation through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and belief in (adherence to, trust in, and reliance on) the Truth.

14 t o which He did call you through our good news, to the acquiring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ;

to this end that He called you through our Gospel, so that you may obtain and share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

15 s o, then, brethren, stand ye fast, and hold the deliverances that ye were taught, whether through word, whether through our letter;

So then, brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions and instructions which you were taught by us, whether by our word of mouth or by letter.

16 a nd may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father, who did love us, and did give comfort age-during, and good hope in grace,

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through grace (unmerited favor),

17 c omfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

Comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.