Introduction to 2 THESSALONIANS.

Some time after Paul, Silas, and Timothy wrote the Thessalonians their first letter, full of thanksgiving for the young church's faithfulness, the three missionaries decided they'd better write again. Thessalonica was still one of their favorite churches. It wasn't in danger of distorting the Good News, as the Galatians had nearly done. It wasn't polarized and cantankerous like the Corinthians. The Thessalonians continued to grow in faith and love, and they were standing firm in spite of persecution and suffering. So what was the problem?

Some Thessalonians had begun to doubt God's justice: why do bad things happen to good people? Paul and his fellow missionaries don't answer that question, but they praise the Thessalonians for their endurance, and they assure them that, at the second coming, their persecutors will be permanently destroyed.

Some Thessalonians were also in danger of being deceived by itinerant philosophers who went from town to town teaching weird theories and soliciting gifts of money in exchange. One popular theory was that Christ had already come. The missionaries assure the Thessalonians that this is not possible. The day of the Lord-the last judgment-will not come until "the man of sin, the man of destruction, is revealed" (2:3). This man, who will sit in God's temple and claim to be God, has been identified with the Antichrist mentioned in 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; and 2 John 7. Today there are many different ideas about this being's identity, but the missionaries don't get specific. They do, however, assure the Thessalonians that the power of God is greater than the power of Satan, and that the man of sin will be destroyed at the second coming.

Bad theology often leads to bad behavior, and some Thessalonians were misbehaving. Maybe they thought that Christ had already come, so they were now entitled to enjoy life. Maybe they thought that Christ was coming extremely soon, so there was no point in planting trees or preserving food. Or maybe they were just lazy. In any case, some church members had stopped working, and other church members were supporting them financially. Time for some tough love, say Paul, Silas, and Timothy-if your fellow believers won't work, don't feed them. If they won't discipline themselves, don't spend time with them. But remember that they're your siblings, not your enemies. Stop enabling them, and they'll turn out fine.

Key Names of God in 2 Thessalonians Father Christ Lord 2 THESSALONIANS.

1 2 3.

Greeting 1 1 From Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

To the church at Thessalonica united with God our Father and the Lord Yeshua Christ.

2 Good willa and peace from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua Christ are yours!

Paul's Prayer for the Thessalonians 3 We always have to thank God for you, brothers and sisters. It's right to do this because your faith is showing remarkable growth and your love for each other is increasing. 4 That's why we brag in God's churches about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and suffering you are experiencing. 5 Your suffering proves that God's judgment is right and that you are considered worthy of his kingdom.

6 Certainly, it is right for God to give suffering to those who cause you to suffer. 7 It is also right for God to give all of us relief from our suffering. He will do this when the Lord Yeshua is revealed, coming from heaven with his mighty angels in a blazing fire. 8 He will take revenge on those who refuse to acknowledge God and on those who refuse to respond to the Good News about our Lord Yeshua. 9 They will pay the penalty by being destroyed forever, by being separated from the Lord's presence and from his glorious power. 10 This will happen on that day when he comes to be honored among all his holy people and admired by all who have believed in him. This includes you because you believed the testimony we gave you.

11 With this in mind, we always pray that our God will make you worthy of his call. We also pray that through his power he will help you accomplish every good desire and help you do everything your faith produces. 12 That way the name of our Lord Yeshua will be honored among you. Then, because of the good will of Yeshua Christ, our God and Lord, you will be honored by him.

Don't Be Deceived about the Day of the Lord 2 1 Brothers and sisters, we have this request to make of you about our Lord Yeshua Christ's coming and our gathering to meet him. 2 Don't get upset right away or alarmed when someone claims that we said through some spirit, conversation, or letter that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you about this in any way. That day cannot come unless a revolt takes place first, and the man of sin, the man of destruction, is revealed. 4 He opposes every so-called god or anything that is worshiped and places himself above them, sitting in God's temple and claiming to be God.

5 Don't you remember that I told you about these things when I was still with you? 6 You know what it is that now holds him back, so that he will be revealed when his time comes. 7 The mystery of this sin is already at work. But it cannot work effectively until the person now holding it back gets out of the way. 8 Then the man of sin will be revealed and the Lord Yeshua will destroy him by what he says. When the Lord Yeshua comes, his appearance will put an end to this man.

9 The man of sin will come with the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous and wonderful signs. But they will be lies. 10 He will use everything that God disapproves of to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them. 11 That's why God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe a lie. 12 Then everyone who did not believe the truth, but was delighted with what God disapproves of, will be condemned.

Paul Encourages the Thessalonians 13 We always have to thank God for you, brothers and sisters. You are loved by the Lord and we thank God that in the beginning he chose you to be saved through a life of spiritual devotion and faith in the truth. 14 With this in mind he called you by the Good News which we told you so that you would obtain the glory of our Lord Yeshua Christ.

15 Then, brothers and sisters, firmly hold on to the traditions we taught you either when we spoke to you or in our letter.

16 God our Father loved us and by his kindnessa gave us everlasting encouragement and good hope. Together with our Lord Yeshua Christ, 17 may he encourage and strengthen you to do and say everything that is good.

Paul's Final Instructions for the Thessalonians 3 1 Finally, brothers and sisters, pray that we spread the Lord's word rapidly and that it will be honored the way it was among you. 2 Also pray that we may be rescued from worthless and evil people, since not everyone shares our faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful and will strengthen you and protect you against the evil one.

4 The Lord gives us confidence that you are doing and will continue to do what we ordered you to do. 5 May the Lord direct your lives as you show God's love and Christ's endurance.

6 Brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Yeshua Christ we order you not to associate with any believer who doesn't live a disciplined life and doesn't follow the tradition you received from us. 7 You know what you must do to imitate us. We lived a disciplined life among you. 8 We didn't eat anyone's food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard and struggled night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It's not as though we didn't have a right to receive support. Rather, we wanted to set an example for you to follow. 10 While we were with you, we gave you the order: "Whoever doesn't want to work shouldn't be allowed to eat."

11 We hear that some of you are not living disciplined lives. You're not working, so you go around interfering in other people's lives. 12 We order and encourage such people by the Lord Yeshua Christ to pay attention to their own work so they can support themselves. 13 Brothers and sisters, we can't allow ourselves to get tired of doing what is right.

14 It may be that some people will not listen to what we say in this letter. Take note of them and don't associate with them so that they will feel ashamed. 15 Yet, don't treat them like enemies, but instruct them like brothers and sisters.

Farewell 16 May the Lord of peace give you his peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

17 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. In every letter that I send, this is proof that I wrote it.

18 The good willa of our Lord Yeshua Christ be with all of you.

a 1:2 Or "Grace."

a 2:16 Or "grace."

a 3:18 Or "grace."

Introduction to 1 TIMOTHY.

The letters addressed to Timothy and Titus are called the Pastoral Epistles because they were sent to individual pastors rather than to congregations. Timothy was an important character in the early church. Paul first met him in Lystra, a city in Asia Minor (Acts 16:1-3). Timothy's father was Greek, but his mother and grandmother were Jewish Christians. Paul was impressed with the young man, who frequently traveled with Paul or Silas from then on. Timothy is mentioned in Romans and 1 Corinthians, and he is listed along with Paul as a coauthor of 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, both letters to the Thessalonians, and Philemon.

Eventually Timothy settled in Ephesus, which must have been a lively Christian center during the last half of the first century. According to an ancient tradition, Timothy was bishop of Ephesus, and two of its residents were the apostle John and Mary, Jesus' mother. Timothy is in Ephesus when Paul sends him this letter. Paul is concerned about false teachers-not only because what they are teaching is nonsense, but also because bad theology leads to bad behavior.

The false teachers focus on myths and genealogies rather than on the Christian virtues of faith and love. They tell people to fast and avoid marriage rather than to give thanks for God's gifts. They disagree with Jesus' teachings and are conceited and argumentative. They would rather be rich than faithful.

The genuine Good News, Paul says, leads to godly living. Church leaders should be hospitable people with good judgment, respected by Christians and non-Christians alike. Christians should be modest, hardworking, prayerful, and attentive to the needs of others. Timothy, though young, should lead through teaching, encouragement, and example, pursuing "faith, love, endurance, and gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11). He must not get involved in endless arguments, but must "guard the Good News" that was entrusted to him (6:20).

And what is this Good News? That Christ "appeared in his human nature, was approved by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was announced throughout the nations, was believed in the world, and was taken to heaven in glory" (3:16), and that "God is the blessed and only ruler. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. . . Honor and power belong to him forever!" (6:15-16). People who truly believe and live by these truths are in no danger from falsehood.

Key Names of God in 1 Timothy Spirit Savior Father Christ Lord King of Kings 1 TIMOTHY.

1 2 3 4 5 6.

Greeting 1 1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Yeshua by the command of God our Savior and Christ Yeshua our confidence.

2 To Timothy, a genuine child in faith.

Good will,a mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Yeshua our Lord are yours!

A Warning about False Teachers 3 When I was going to the province of Macedonia, I encouraged you to stay in the city of Ephesus. That way you could order certain people to stop teaching false doctrine 4 and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These myths and genealogies raise a lot of questions rather than promoting God's plan, which centers in faith.

5 My goal in giving you this order is for love to flow from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith. 6 Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to useless discussions. 7 They want to be experts in Moses' Teachings. However, they don't understand what they're talking about or the things about which they speak so confidently.

8 We know that the laws in Moses' Teachings are good if they are used as they were intended to be used. 9 For example, a person must realize that those laws are not intended for people who have God's approval. Laws are intended for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who think nothing is holy or sacred, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people. 10 Laws are intended for people involved in sexual sins, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for those who lie when they take an oath, and for whatever else is against accurate teachings. 11 Moses' Teachings were intended to be used in agreement with the Good News that contains the glory of the blessed God. I was entrusted with that Good News.

God's Mercy to Paul 12 I thank Christ Yeshua our Lord that he has trusted me and has appointed me to do his work with the strength he has given me. 13 In the past I cursed him, persecuted him, and acted arrogantly toward him. However, I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief. 14 Our Lord was very kindb to me. Through his kindness he brought me to faith and gave me the love that Christ Yeshua shows people.

15 This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Yeshua came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner. 16 However, I was treated with mercy so that Christ Yeshua could use me, the foremost sinner, to demonstrate his patience. This patience serves as an example for those who would believe in him and live forever. 17 Worship and glory belong forever to the eternal king, the immortal, invisible, and only God. Amen.

Guidelines for the Church 18 Timothy, my child, I'm giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war. 19 Some have refused to let their faith guide their conscience and their faith has been destroyed like a wrecked ship.a 20 Among these people are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan in order to teach them not to dishonor God.

2 1 First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, 2 for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior. 4 He wants all people to be saved and to learn the truth. 5 There is one God. There is also one mediator between God and humans-a human, Christ Yeshua . 6 He sacrificed himself for all people to free them from their sins.

This message is valid for every era. 7 I was appointed to spread this Good News and to be an apostle to teach people who are not Jewish about faith and truth. I'm telling you the truth. I'm not lying.

8 I want men to offer prayers everywhere. They should raise their hands in prayer after putting aside their anger and any quarrels they have with anyone.

9 I want women to show their beauty by dressing in appropriate clothes that are modest and respectable. Their beauty will be shown by what they do,b not by their hair styles or the gold jewelry, pearls, or expensive clothes they wear. 10 This is what is proper for women who claim to have reverence for God.

11 A woman must learn in silence, in keeping with her position. 12 I don't allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. Instead, she should be quiet. 13 After all, Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 Besides that, Adam was not deceived. It was the woman who was deceived and sinned. 15 However, she and all women will be saved through the birth of the child,c if they lead respectable lives in faith, love, and holiness.

Guidelines for Leaders in the Church 3 1 This is a statement that can be trusted: If anyone sets his heart on being a bishop,d he desires something excellent. 2 A bishop must have a good reputation. He must have only one wife, be sober, use good judgment, be respectable, be hospitable, and be able to teach. 3 He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but he must be gentle. He must not be quarrelsome or love money. 4 He must manage his own family well. His children should respectfully obey him. 5 (If a man doesn't know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6 He must not be a new Christian, or he might become arrogant like the devil and be condemned. 7 People who are not Christians must speak well of him, or he might become the victim of disgraceful insults that the devil sets as traps for him.

8 Deaconsa must also be of good character. They must not be two-faced or addicted to alcohol. They must not use shameful ways to make money. 9 They must have clear consciences about possessing the mystery of the Christian faith. 10 First, a person must be evaluated. Then, if he has a good reputation, he may become a deacon.

11 Their wives must also be of good character. They must not be gossips, but they must control their tempers and be trustworthy in every way.

12 A deacon must have only one wife. Deacons must manage their children and their families well. 13 Those deacons who serve well gain an excellent reputation and will have confidence as a result of their faith in Christ Yeshua .

14 I hope to visit you soon. However, I'm writing this to you 15 in case I'm delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God's family must live. God's family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

16 The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great: Heb appeared in his human nature, was approved by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was announced throughout the nations, was believed in the world, and was taken to heaven in glory.

A Prophecy about the Last Times 4 1 The Spirit says clearly that in later times some believers will desert the Christian faith. They will follow spirits that deceive, and they will believe the teachings of demons. 2 These people will speak lies disguised as truth. Their consciences have been scarred as if branded by a red-hot iron. 3 They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth. 4 Everything God created is good. Nothing should be rejected if it is received with prayers of thanks. 5 The word of God and prayer set it apart as holy.

Guidelines for Serving Christ 6 You are a good servant of Christ Yeshua when you point these things out to our brothers and sisters. Then you will be nourished by the words of the Christian faith and the excellent teachings which you have followed closely. 7 Don't have anything to do with godless myths that old women like to tell. Rather, train yourself to live a godly life. 8 Training the body helps a little, but godly living helps in every way. Godly living has the promise of life now and in the world to come. 9 This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance. 10 Certainly, we work hard and struggle to live a godly life, because we place our confidence in the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Insist on these things and teach them. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you for being young. Instead, make your speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity an example for other believers. 13 Until I get there, concentrate on reading Scripture in worship, giving encouraging messages, and teaching people. 14 Don't neglect the gift which you received through prophecy when the spiritual leadersa placed their hands on you to ordain you. 15 Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress. 16 Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I've told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.

Guidelines for Dealing with Other Christians 5 1 Never use harsh words when you correct an older man, but talk to him as if he were your father. Talk to younger men as if they were your brothers, 2 older women as if they were your mothers, and younger women as if they were your sisters, while keeping yourself morally pure.

3 Honor widows who have no families. 4 The children or grandchildren of a widow must first learn to respect their own family by repaying their parents. This is pleasing in God's sight.

5 A widow who has no family has placed her confidence in God by praying and asking for his help night and day. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead although she is still alive. 7 Insist on these things so that widows will have good reputations. 8 If anyone doesn't take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the Christian faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Any widow who had only one husband and is at least 60 years old should be put on your list of widows. 10 People should tell about the good things she has done: raising children, being hospitable, taking care of believers' needs, helping the suffering, or always doing good things.

11 Don't include younger widows on your list. Whenever their natural desires become stronger than their devotion to Christ, they'll want to marry. 12 They condemn themselves by rejecting the Christian faith, the faith they first accepted. 13 At the same time, they learn to go around from house to house since they have nothing else to do. Not only this, but they also gossip and get involved in other people's business, saying things they shouldn't say.

14 So I want younger widows to marry, have children, manage their homes, and not give the enemy any chance to ridicule them. 15 Some of them have already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any woman is a believer and has relatives who are widows, she should help them. In this way the church is not burdened and can help widows who have no families.

17 Give double honor to spiritual leadersb who handle their duties well. This is especially true if they work hard at teaching the word of God. 18 After all, Scripture says, "Never muzzle an ox when it is threshingc grain," and "The worker deserves his pay."

19 Don't pay attention to an accusation against a spiritual leader unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. 20 Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.

21 I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Yeshua , and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I've told you. Never play favorites.

22 Don't be in a hurry to place your hands on anyone to ordain him. Don't participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself morally pure.

23 Stop drinking only water. Instead, drink a little wine for your stomach because you are frequently sick.

24 The sins of some people are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment. The sins of others follow them there. 25 In the same way, the good things that people do are obvious, and those that aren't obvious can't remain hidden.

6 1 All slaves who believe must give complete respect to their own masters. In this way no one will speak evil of God's name and what we teach. 2 Slaves whose masters also believe should respect their masters even though their masters are also believers. As a result, believers who are slaves should serve their masters even better because those who receive the benefit of their work are believers whom they love.

Guidelines for Living a Godly Life Teach and encourage people to do these things. 3 Whoever teaches false doctrine and doesn't agree with the accurate words of our Lord Yeshua Christ and godly teachings 4 is a conceited person. He shows that he doesn't understand anything. Rather, he has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words. This produces jealousy, rivalry, cursing, suspicion, 5 and conflict between people whose corrupt minds have been robbed of the truth. They think that a godly life is a way to make a profit.

6 A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have. 7 We didn't bring anything into the world, and we can't take anything out of it. 8 As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied.

9 But people who want to get rich keep falling into temptation. They are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires which drown them in destruction and ruin. 10 Certainly, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people who have set their hearts on getting rich have wandered away from the Christian faith and have caused themselves a lot of grief.

11 But you, man of God, must avoid these things. Pursue what God approves of: a godly life, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the Christian faith. Take hold of everlasting life to which you were called and about which you made a good testimony in front of many witnesses.

13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and in the sight of Christ Yeshua, who gave a good testimony in front of Pontius Pilate, 14 I insist that, until our Lord Yeshua Christ appears, you obey this command completely. Then you cannot be blamed for doing anything wrong. 15 At the right time God will make this known. God is the blessed and only ruler. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 He is the only one who cannot die. He lives in light that no one can come near. No one has seen him, nor can they see him. Honor and power belong to him forever! Amen.

17 Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 Tell them to do good, to do a lot of good things, to be generous, and to share. 19 By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves which is a good foundation for the future. In this way they take hold of what life really is.

20 Timothy, guard the Good News which has been entrusted to you. Turn away from pointless discussions and the claims of false knowledge that people use to oppose the Christian faith. 21 Although some claim to have knowledge, they have abandoned the faith.

God's good willa be with all of you.

a 1:2 Or "Grace."

b 1:14 Or "gracious."

a 1:19 Verses 18 and 19 have been rearranged to express the complex Greek sentence structure more clearly in English.

b 2:9 The first part of verse 10 (in Greek) has been moved to verse 9 to express the complex Greek sentence structure more clearly in English.

c 2:15 Taken to refer to Yeshua. Or "will be saved by having children," or "will be kept safe as they have children."

d 3:1 English equivalent difficult.

a 3:8 English equivalent difficult.

b 3:16 Some manuscripts read "God."

a 4:14 Or "pastors," or "elders."