OET-RV 2TH book

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Introduction

This letter, was written by Paul and sent to the group of believers there in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-10). Paul had been forced to leave Thessalonica because there were Jews there who got upset about his preaching to non-Jews. So he went on to Corinth and from there he wrote both of his letters to the believers in Thessalonica.

At that time, the believers in Thessalonica were confused because there was teaching that troubled them, because they were told that the master Yeshua, the messiah, had already returned. Because they were confused, Paul blocked that teaching by explaining to them that wars and destruction would come before the messiah returns. The one who brings that destruction is the enemy of the messiah, a miracle-working teacher named the ‘lawless man’.

Paul taught the readers of this letter that it’s necessary to stay alert about everyone teaching them, despite difficulties and sufferings. They need to continue to work for their living and to do good just as Paul himself had done.

Main components of Paul’s letter

Introduction 1:1-2

Paul thanks and prays for the Thessalonians 1:3-12

Teaching concerning the return of the messiah 2:1-17

Encouragement about prayer and not being lazy 3:1-15

Conclusion 3:16-18

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

1:3 Paul’s thanking and praying

3 We should be always thanking God for you brothers and sisters and it’s right that we do because your faith is growing and you all display plenty of love towards each other. 4 That’s why we boast about you all in God’s assemblies, because of your endurance and faith despite the persecutions you encounter and the tribulations that you put up with.

1:5 The Judgement after Yeshua’s return

5 This shows God’s righteous judgement in that you’re considered worthy to enter God’s kingdom because of what you’ve had to suffer. 6 God is righteous and he’s the one who will repay those who oppress you and make life difficult for you all, 7 then all of you who’ve been oppressed will be able to relax when the master Yeshua comes back from heaven with his powerful army. 8 With a fiery flame he’ll judge those who don’t know God and those who haven’t accepted the good message of our master Yeshua Messiah. 9 [ref]They’ll be sentenced to eternal destruction—banished from the master’s presence and from the display of his strength 10 when he’ll be honoured by his righteous followers and to be admired by those who believe in him just as you believed our testimony to all of you.

11 We’re also praying all the time for you all that you’ll be considered worthy of our God’s calling and will live out your good intentions and demonstrate your faith with power 12 so that the reputation of our master Yeshua will be honoured in you all, and you in him, thanks to the grace of our God and of the master Yeshua Messiah.

2:1 The false man-God

2 [ref]Now concerning the return of our master Yeshua Messiah and our being gathered together with him, we are asking you all, brothers and sisters, 2 to not be alarmed or have your thinking jolted back-and-forth by any ‘spirit’ or message or letter that seems to come from us that tries to say that the master has already returned. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, because before that happens many people will turn away from the good message and the lawless man will be revealed—the conveyor of destruction 4 [ref]who opposes every god or object of worship and puts himself above them all—seating himself in God’s temple and (supposedly) demonstrating that he is God.

5 Don’t you remember how I told you all this when I was still with you all? 6 Now you know what is restraining him so that he’ll be revealed at the proper time 7 because the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, except that it’s being restrained until he’s taken out of the middle 8 [ref]and then the lawless man will be revealed. The master Yeshua will kill him with his breath and neutralise him with the appearance of his coming. 9 [ref]The lawless man was coming and working under Satan with his power and signs and false miracles 10 and with every unrighteous seduction. Those deceive those who are perishing because they never had the love for the truth that could have saved them. 11 That’s why God is sending deceptive practices to them, so that they can continue to believe in the falsehood, 12 so that all of those who didn’t believe in the truth but took pleasure in wicked actions, will be judged and sentenced.

2:13 Keep hold of the truth

13 But brothers and sisters, we here should always be thanking God for you who were loved by the master. From the beginning God chose you for salvation in the holiness of the spirit and faith in the truth 14 which he called you all to. That was through the good message that we brought so that you all might obtain the power that comes from our master Yeshua Messiah. 15 So as a result, brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep hold of the practices that we taught you—whether it was spoken or written in our letters.

16 May our master Messiah Yeshua and God our father who loved us and gives us eternal comfort and by his grace gives good hope, 17 comfort your minds and strengthen you all in everything you do and every good message you share.

3:1 Pray for us as well

3 The other thing, brothers and sisters, is to keep praying for us so that the master’s message will keep spreading and being honoured just like it was among you all 2 and so that we might escape from the schemes of perverse and evil people, because not everyone believes this message. 3 But the master is faithful and will strengthen you all and will keep you from the evil one. 4 We are confident that with the master’s help, you are following all of our instructions and will continue to do so.

5 May the master direct your thoughts towards God’s love and Messiah’s endurance.

3:6 The warning against laziness

6 Brothers and sisters, we are instructing you all to avoid those who are only lazily living out their faith and not according to the practices that they were taught by us. 7 You yourselves know that it’s appropriate to be imitating us, because we didn’t loaf when we were among you all, 8 nor did we each food from anyone that we didn’t deserve, but we worked even when it was hard—day and night so that we wouldn’t be a burden on anybody, 9 not that we didn’t have the right but in order to make ourselves a good example that you all could emulate. 10 Even when we were there with you all, we had instructed you that anyone who’s not willing to work doesn’t deserve to eat.

11 Yes, we have heard that there are some who associate with you all, but they’re lazy—not doing any work but just meddling, 12 so we’re instructing those people and urging them by the authority of the master Yeshua Messiah, to just quietly get down to work and then they’ll have food to eat. 13 But the rest of you, brothers and sisters, doing get discouraged from doing good.

14 And if there’s anyone there who won’t submit to the contents of this letter, then take note of that person and don’t associate with them, in order that they might be persuaded. 15 Don’t consider them as an enemy, but reprimand them like you would to a brother or sister.

3:16 Farewell

16 May the master of peace himself give you all peace through everyone and in every way. May the master be with all of you.

17 This farewell is in my own handwriting, I’m Paul, and I do this with every letter I write.

18 May the grace from our master Yeshua Messiah be with all of you.