¹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
²tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
³tc Most witnesses add hJmw'n (Jhmwn) to patrov" (patros), reading “God our Father,” in apparent emulation of Paul’s almost universal style. There seems to be no good reason why a scribe would omit it here and only here. Thus, the reading of B D P 33 1739 1881 et pauci seems to be the original wording of this salutation. As well, the intrinsic evidence also supports the shorter reading: since 2 Thessalonians was one of Paul’s earliest letters, his stereotyped salutation was still in embryonic form. See discussion at 1 Thess 1 :1.
⁴tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
⁵tn Grk “as is worthy.”
⁶tn Grk “so that you may be made worthy.” The passive infinitive kataxiwqh'nai (kataxiwqhnai) has been translated as an active construction in English for stylistic reasons.
⁷tn Grk “if in fact/since,” as a continuation of the preceding.
⁸tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
⁹tn Grk “angels of power,” translated as an attributive genitive.
¹⁰tn Grk “meting out,” as a description of Jesus Christ in v. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 8 in the translation.
¹¹sn An allusion to Jer 10:25, possibly also to Ps 79:6 and Isa 66:15.
¹²tn Grk “who,” describing the people mentioned in v. 8. A new sentence was started here in the translation by replacing the relative pronoun with a personal pronoun.
¹³sn An allusion to Isa 2:10, 19, 21.
¹⁴tn Or “marveled at.”
¹⁵tn Grk “because our testimony to you was believed.”
¹⁶tn Or “by means of.”
¹tn Grk “our gathering with him.”
²tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
³tn Or “quickly, soon.”
⁴tn Grk “as through us.”
⁵tn Grk “for unless…” The clause about “the day” is understood from v. 2.
⁶tc Some manuscripts (A D F G Y Byz lat) read “of sin” here, but other important manuscripts (Í B 1739 et pauci) read “of lawlessness.” External support for “of sin” is broader, but that word occurs much more frequently in Paul’s writings than “lawlessness.” On internal grounds the later mention of “lawlessness” in v. 7 and the description “the lawless one” in v. 8 seem to presuppose ajnomiva" (anomia") here.
⁷tn Or “the one destined for destruction.”
⁸tn Grk “the one who opposes,” describing the figure in v. 3. A new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the personal pronoun (“he”) and translating the participle ajntikeivmeno" (antikeimeno") as a finite verb.
⁹sn Allusions to Isa 14:13-14; Dan 11:36; Ezek 28:2-9.
¹⁰tn Grk “that he is God.”
¹¹tn Grk “Do you not remember?”
¹²tn Grk “and now,” but this shows the logical result of his previous teaching.
¹³tn Grk “the thing that restrains.”
¹⁴tn 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”).
¹⁵tn 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.
¹⁶tc Several important witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western traditions add jIhsou'" (Ihsous, “Jesus”) to kuvrio" (kurios, “Lord”; so Í A D* F G 0278 33 latt sy co). But there is sufficient evidence in the Alexandrian tradition for the shorter reading (B 1739 1881), supported by the Byzantine text as well as Irenaeus. Although it is possible that scribes overlooked jIhsou" if the two nomina sacra occurred together (k-=si-=s), since “the Lord Jesus” is a frequent enough appellation that is normally without variants, the shorter reading is to be preferred.
¹⁷tn Grk “whose coming,” referring to the lawless one. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek construction, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
¹⁸tn Grk “every miracle.”
¹⁹tn Grk “deception for/toward.”
²⁰tn Grk “they did not accept the love of the truth.”
²¹tn Grk “and for this reason.”
²²tn Grk “a working of error.”
²³tc Several manuscripts (B D Y 0278 Byz) read pavnte" (pantes) here, in emulation of the more common word in Paul (468 times to 2 times!). a{pante" (apantes) is found in excellent witnesses, however, of both the Alexandrian and Western texts (Í A F G 33 81 1739 1881 et pauci). pavnte" thus gives itself away as a motivated reading. Translation is not affected either way.
²⁴tn Grk “that they all might be judged,” continuing the previous sentence.
²⁵tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:1.
²⁶tc Some manuscripts (B F G 33 1739 al) read “as a first-fruit” (i.e., as the first converts), but this is more likely to be a change by scribes who thought of the early churches in this way. Paul would not be likely to call the Thessalonians “the first-fruits” among his converts. The reading in the text is supported by Í D Y Byz.
²⁷tn Grk “to which,” referring to the main idea of v. 13.
²⁸sn That you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. For Paul the ultimate stage of salvation is glorification (Rom 8:30).
²⁹tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:1.
³⁰tn Grk “that you were taught whether by word or by letter of ours.”
³¹tn Grk simply “strengthen,” with the object understood from the preceding.
³²tn Grk “every good work and word.”
¹tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BAGD 16 s.v. ajdelfov" 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ajdelfoiv [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
²tn Grk “may run and be glorified.”
³tn Grk “who.”
⁴tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 3:1.
⁵tn Or “unruly, out of line.” The particular violation Paul has in mind is idleness (as described in vv. 8-11), so this could be translated to reflect that.
⁶tn Grk “walking in an undisciplined way” (“walking” is a common NT idiom for one’s way of life or conduct).
⁷tn This is the verbal form of the words occurring in vv. 6 and 11, meaning “to act out of line, in an unruly way.”
⁸tn Grk “bread.”
⁹tn Grk “we did not eat bread freely from anyone.”
¹⁰tn Grk “but working,” as a continuation of the previous sentence. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with the word “Instead” in the translation.
¹¹tn Grk “an example for you to imitate us.”
¹²tn Grk “walking in an undisciplined way” (“walking” is a common NT idiom for one’s way of life or conduct).
¹³tn There is a play on words in the Greek: “working at nothing, but working around,” “not keeping busy but being busybodies.”
¹⁴tn Grk “that by working quietly they may eat their own bread.”
¹⁵tn See the note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 3:1.
¹⁶tn That is, as a fellow believer.
¹⁷tn Grk “The greeting in my hand, Paul, which is a sign in every letter, thus I write.”
sn Up to 3:17 the letter was dictated by Paul but written down by a secretary or amanuensis. But Paul took up the pen and wrote vv. 17-18 personally to authenticate that it was his (how I write in every letter). See similar indications in 1 Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11; and Col 4:18.