2 Thessalonians 2:3

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.

BSB

Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness — the son of destruction — is revealed.

KJV

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

ASV

let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be], except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,

BBE

Give no belief to false words: because there will first be a falling away from the faith, and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction,

Original Greek

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μή mē No G3361 τις tis one G5100 ὑμᾶς humas you G4771 ἐξαπατήσῃ exapatēsē may deceive G1818 κατὰ kata in G2596 μηδένα mēdena not one G3367 τρόπον tropon way G5158 ὅτι hoti that G3754 ἐὰν ean only G1437 μὴ mē unless G3361 ἔλθῃ elthē shall have come G2064 ἡ hē the G3588 ἀποστασία apostasia apostasy G646 πρῶτον prōton first G4413 καὶ kai and G2532 ἀποκαλυφθῇ apokaluphthēa shall have been revealed G601 ὁ ho the G3588 ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos man G444 τῆς tēs (the) G3588 ἀνομίας anomias of lawlessness G458 ὁ ho the G3588 υἱὸς huios son G5207 τῆς tēs (the) G3588 ἀπωλείας apōleias of destruction G684

The early church

"Let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God." Here he discourses concerning the Antichrist, and reveals great mysteries. What is "the falling away?" He calls him Apostasy, as being about to destroy many, and make them fall away. So that if it were possible, He says, the very Elect should be offended. And he calls him "the man of sin." For he shall do numberless mischiefs, and shall cause others to do them. But he calls him "the son of perdition," because he is also to be destroyed. But who is he? Is it then Satan? By no means; but some man, that admits his fully working in him. For he is a man.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 2 Thessalonians
No one can doubt that Paul is here speaking of Antichrist, telling us that the day of judgment (which he calls the day of the Lord) will not come without the prior coming of a figure whom he calls the Apostate, meaning, of course, an apostate from the Lord God. And if this appellation can rightly be attached to all the ungodly, how much more to him! There is, however, some uncertainty about the "temple" in which he is to take his seat. Is it the ruins of the temple built by King Solomon, or actually in a church? For the apostle would not say "the temple of God" if he meant the temple of some idol or demon. For that reason some people would have it that Antichrist means here not the leader himself but what we may call his whole body, the multitude, that is, of those who belong to him, together with himself, their leader.… For myself I am much astonished at the great presumption of those who venture such guesses.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430City of God

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–4

If errors arise among Christians, we should set them right; and good men will be careful to suppress errors which rise from mistaking their words and actions. We have a cunning adversary, who watches to do mischief, and will promote errors, even by the words of Scripture. Whatever uncertainty we are in, or whatever mistakes may arise about the time of Christ's coming, that coming itself is certain. This has been the faith and hope of all Christians, in all ages of the church; it was the faith and hope of the Old Testament saints. All believers shall be gathered together to Christ, to be with him, and to be happy in his presence for ever. We should firmly believe the second coming of Christ; but there was danger lest the Thessalonians, being mistaken as to the time, should question the truth or certainty of the thing itself. False doctrines are like the winds that toss the water to and fro; and they unsettle the minds of men, which are as unstable as water. It is enough for us to know that our Lord will come, and will gather all his saints unto him. A reason why they should not expect the coming of Christ, as at hand, is given. There would be a general falling away first, such as would occasion the rise of antichrist, that man of sin. There have been great disputes who or what is intended by this man of sin and son of perdition. The man of sin not only practises wickedness, but also promotes and commands sin and wickedness in others; and is the son of perdition, because he is devoted to certain destruction, and is the instrument to destroy many others, both in soul and body. As God was in the temple of old, and worshipped there, and is in and with his church now; so the antichrist here mentioned, is a usurper of God's authority in the Christian church, who claims Divine honours.

Read Matthew Henry on 2 Thessalonians 2 →

Cross-references

16

Topics

MiraclesBlasphemyPresumptionApostasyAntichrist

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.