2 TH 2:11 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And because of this, God is sending to them a working of error for them to believe the lie

UST Because these people reject the true message about Jesus, God enables them to think falsely so that they will believe this man’s lies.

BSB For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe [the] lie,

BLB And because of this, God will send to them a working of delusion, for them to believe what is false,

AICNT And for this reason, God {sends}[fn] them a working[fn] of deception, for them to believe the lie,

2:11, sends: Later manuscripts read “will send.” BYZ TR

2:11, working: The Greek word energeia pertains to metaphysical working, operation, action (BDAG, ἐνέργεια).

OEB That is why God places them under the influence of a delusion, to cause them to believe a lie;

WEBBE Because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion, that they should believe a lie,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.

LSV and because of this God will send to them a working of delusion, for their believing the lie,

FBV Because of this God sends them a convincing delusion so that they put their trust in the lie.[fn]

2:11 The lie: in this context surely meaning the fundamental Lie about the nature and character of God told by the Enemy ( Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28), who even claims to be God ( 2:4). In terms of God's “sending” of this delusion, note that in Scripture God is often speaking of causing that which he does not prevent.

TCNT For this reason God [fn]will send them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false,

2:11 will send ¦ sends CT

T4T So, God, by his power, will enable this man to easily deceive people, so that they will believe what this man falsely claims/says that he is.

LEB And because of this, God sends them _⌊a powerful delusion_⌋[fn] so that they will believe the lie,

2:11 Literally “a working of deceit”

BBE And for this cause, God will give them up to the power of deceit and they will put their faith in what is false:

Moff Therefore God visits them with an active delusion,
⇔ till they put faith in falsehood,

Wymth And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie;

ASV And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:

DRA That all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity.

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

Drby And for this reason [fn]God sends to them a working of error, that they should believe what is false,

2.11 Elohim

RV And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:
(And for this cause God sendeth/sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: )

SLT And for this, God shall send them the energy of error, for them to believe in falsehood:

Wbstr And for this cause God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

KJB-1769 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

KJB-1611 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should beleeue a lye:
(And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lye:)

Bshps And therefore God shall sende them strong delusion, that they should beleue lyes:
(And therefore God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies:)

Gnva And therefore God shall send them strong delusion, that they should beleeue lies,
(And therefore God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies, )

Cvdl Therfore shal God sende them stroge delusion, that they shulde beleue lyes,
(Therefore shall God send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies,)

TNT And therfore god shall sende them stronge delusion that they shuld beleve lyes:
(And therefore god shall send them strong delusion that they should believe lies: )

Wycl that alle be demed, whiche bileueden not to treuthe, but consentiden to wickidnesse.
(that all be judged, which believed not to truth, but consentiden to wickedness.)

Luth Darum wird ihnen GOtt kräftige Irrtümer senden, daß sie glauben der Lüge,
(Therefore becomes to_them God kräftige Irrtümer send, that they/she/them believe the/of_the lie(n)/falsehood,)

ClVg Ideo mittet illis Deus operationem erroris ut credant mendacio,
(Therefore/For_that_reason will_send to_them God operation error as credant lie, )

UGNT καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει;
(kai dia touto, pempei autois ho Theos energeian planaʸs, eis to pisteusai autous tōi pseudei;)

SBL-GNT καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ⸀πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει,
(kai dia touto ⸀pempei autois ho theos energeian planaʸs eis to pisteusai autous tōi pseudei,)

RP-GNT Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμψει αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει·
(Kai dia touto pempsei autois ho theos energeian planaʸs, eis to pisteusai autous tōi pseudei;)

TC-GNT Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο [fn]πέμψει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει·
(Kai dia touto pempsei autois ho Theos energeian planaʸs, eis to pisteusai autous tōi pseudei; )

2:11 πεμψει ¦ πεμπει CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–12: The Wicked Person will come before the Lord Jesus returns

Some Christians in Thessalonica thought that Paul had said that the Lord Jesus Christ had already returned. But he had not said this. So, in this section, Paul reminded them about what he had taught them when he was with them: that before the Lord Jesus returned, a leader whom Paul called “the man of lawlessness” would appear. This person would be against every religion and would oppose God’s laws. But he would deceive only those who had rejected God’s message about Christ. On the day when Christ returns, he will destroy that person and his power.

Paul did not list everything in this section (2:1–12) in the order in which the events will happen. Rather, in 2:1–4 he wrote a general sequence of events. Then in 2:5 he introduced what he had previously taught about these events. Then in 2:6–12 he taught specifically about the rebellion, about the wicked person (“man of lawlessness”) who would oppose God’s laws, and about how Jesus Christ would return to destroy him.

Paragraph 2:5–12

In this paragraph Paul wrote that, at exactly the right time, the man of lawlessness will appear. He will have power to perform miracles that will deceive those who themselves oppose the truth and love evil.

2:11a

For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion

Therefore, because they refused to accept the true message about Jesus Christ, God will cause something to influence them and strongly deceive them

For this reason: This phrase refers back to 2:10b: God sends a powerful delusion because these people refuse to love the truth. He wants everybody to repent and be saved. However, if they stubbornly refuse to accept the truth, he then makes it easier for them to believe lies and harder for them to repent.

a powerful delusion: This phrase is literally “a working of error” in the Greek. This refers to something that works in people’s minds and hearts and causes them to be deluded/deceived. Paul did not say how God does this or what sort of delusion he was referring to.

In your translation, avoid making it sound as if there is something evil in God’s nature. People have already rejected the truth about Jesus Christ. What God does here is the result of that.

2:11b

so that they believe the lie,

so that they will believe the lies that the Wicked Person will tell them

the lie: Commentators do not agree about what Paul was referring to here. There are two possibilities:

It refers to the man of lawlessness, all his false miracles and, above all, his claim that he is God (2:4b).
It refers to lies in general. It refers to lies about what is false and what is true, about what is bad and what is good.

Most English versions are vague, but in this context, they probably support the first option (1). It is recommended that you follow the first option also because:

It fits the context. The main topic of this section is that the Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”) will appear, he will claim that he is God (2:4), and he will do all kinds of miracles to deceive people and cause them to think that what he claims about himself is true (2:9).
The lie in 2:11 contrasts with the truth in 2:10 and 2:12. The truth refers to the true message about Jesus Christ. The lie refers to the false message about the Wicked Person (“man of lawlessness”).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διὰ τοῦτο

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί διά τοῦτο πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεός ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τό πιστεῦσαι αὐτούς τῷ ψεύδει)

What follows because of this is the result of the action of the people who “did not receive the love of the truth” in verse 10. Use a connector that shows that what the people did in verse 10 is the reason for what follows in this verse. Alternate translation: [for this reason] or [because the people did not receive the love of the truth]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει

˓is˒_sending ˱to˲_them ¬the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί διά τοῦτο πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεός ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τό πιστεῦσαι αὐτούς τῷ ψεύδει)

Paul is speaking of God allowing something to happen to people as if he is sending something to them. Alternate translation: [God is allowing them to think wrongly so that they believe the lies of the man of lawlessness]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐνέργειαν πλάνης

˓a˒_working ˱of˲_deception

Paul is using the possessive form to describe a working that is characterized by error. This means something that works to produce error in them. Alternate translation: [the ability to think in a wrong way]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς

in_order (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί διά τοῦτο πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεός ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τό πιστεῦσαι αὐτούς τῷ ψεύδει)

Here, for introduces a purpose clause. Paul is stating the purpose for which God sends the working of error. Use a natural way in your language for introducing a purpose clause. Alternate translation: [so that they may believe]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς

Here, them refers to the people who “did not receive the love of the truth” in verse 10. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning explicitly. Alternate translation: [so that these people may believe] or [in order that the people who did not receive the love of the truth may believe]

Parallel 2 TH 2:11

Section 2:1–12: The Wicked Person will come before the Lord Jesus returns

Paragraph 2:5–12

2:11a

2:11b

Parallel 2 TH 2:11