2 TH 2:2 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

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

OET (OET-RV) 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.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
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 for you not to be quickly shaken in your mind and not to be troubled neither by a spirit nor by a word nor by a letter as if from us, as if the day of the Lord has already come.

UST to think calmly about any message that may have come to you that says that the Lord Jesus has already returned to earth. Do not let this kind of message upset you. It does not matter if the message comes from a spirit or if it comes from a person or if it is in a letter that someone claims that I wrote.

BSB not to be easily disconcerted [or] alarmed by [any] spirit [or] message [or] letter seeming [to be] from us, [alleging] that the Day of the Lord has already come.

MSB not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by [any] spirit [or] message [or] letter seeming [to be] from us, [alleging] that the Day of Christ[fn] has already come.

BLB for you not quickly to be shaken in mind, nor to be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as if by us, as that day of the Lord is present.

AICNT not to be quickly shaken from your mind or alarmed, neither by a spirit, nor by a message, nor by a letter as if from us, as though the day of {the Lord}[fn] has come.

2:2, the Lord: Later manuscripts read “Christ.” BYZ TR

OEB not lightly to let your minds become unsettled or disturbed by any revelation, or by any message or letter purporting to come from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is come.

WEBBE not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come.

WMBB not to be quickly shaken in your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Messiah has already come.

NET not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.

LSV that you are not quickly shaken in mind, nor be troubled, neither through spirit, neither through word, neither through letters as through us, as that the Day of the LORD has arrived;

FBV please don't become upset or concerned by any spiritual revelation, or message, or letter supposedly from us that makes you think that the day of the Lord has already come.

TCNT not to be quickly shaken from your understanding or alarmed by [fn]any spirit or message or by any letter supposedly from us alleging that the day of [fn]Christ has already come.

2:2 any spirit or message or by any ¦ the spirit or by any message or ANT

2:2 Christ ¦ the Lord CT

T4T that you think calmly about any message that claims/says that the Lord has already come again. Do not be shaken or alarmed/worried by any such message. It does not matter if it is a message that someone claims God’s Spirit revealed to him, or if it is some other message that someone has spoken, or whether it is a message that someone claims that I wrote in a letter.

LEB that you not be easily shaken from your composure, nor be troubled either by a spirit or by a message or by a letter _⌊alleged to be from us_⌋[fn], to the effect that the day of the Lord has arrived.

2:2 Literally “as if by us”

BBE That you may not be moved in mind or troubled by a spirit, or by a word, or by a letter as from us, with the suggestion that the day of the Lord is even now come;

Moff not to let your minds get easily unsettled or excited by any spirit of prophecy or any declaration or any letter purporting to come from me, to the effect that the Day of the Lord is already here.

Wymth not readily to become unsettled in mind or troubled—either by any pretended spiritual revelation or by any message or letter claiming to have been sent by us—through fancying that the day of the Lord is now here.

ASV to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand;

DRA That you be not easily moved from your sense, nor be terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

YLT that ye be not quickly shaken in mind, nor be troubled, neither through spirit, neither through word, neither through letters as through us, as that the day of Christ hath arrived;

Drby that ye be not soon shaken in mind, nor troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as [if it were] by us, as that the day of the Lord is present.

RV to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is now present;
(to the end that ye/you_all be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is now present; )

SLT For you not to be quickly shaken in mind, neither be disturbed, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle as by us, as that the day of Christ has drawn near.

Wbstr That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

KJB-1769 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
(That ye/you_all be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. )

KJB-1611 That yee bee not soone shaken in minde, or bee troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from vs, as that the day of Christ is at hand,
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps That ye be not sodenlye moued from your minde, nor be troubled, neither by spirite, nor by worde, nor yet by letter, as from vs, as though the daye of Christe were at hande.
(That ye/you_all be not suddenlye moved from your mind, nor be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor yet by letter, as from us, as though the day of Christ were at hand.)

Gnva That ye be not suddenly mooued from your minde, nor troubled neither by spirit, nor by worde, nor by letter, as it were from vs, as though the day of Christ were at hand.
(That ye/you_all be not suddenly moved from your mind, nor troubled neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as it were from us, as though the day of Christ were at hand. )

Cvdl that ye be not sodenly moued fro youre mynde, and be not troubled, nether by sprete, nether by wordes, ner yet by letter, which shulde seme to be sent from vs, as though ye daye of Christ were at hande.
(that ye/you_all be not suddenly moved from your(pl) mind, and be not troubled, neither by spirit, neither by words, nor yet by letter, which should seem to be sent from us, as though ye/you_all day of Christ were at hand.)

TNT that ye be not sodely moved from youre mynde and be not troubled nether by sprete nether by wordes nor yet by letter which shuld seme to come from vs as though the daye of Christ were at honde.
(that ye/you_all be not suddenly moved from your(pl) mind and be not troubled neither by spirit neither by words nor yet by letter which should seem to come from us as though the day of Christ were at hand. )

Wycl that ye be not mouyd soone fro youre witt, nether be aferd, nether bi spirit, nether bi word, nether bi epistle as sent bi vs, as if the dai of the Lord be nyy.
(that ye/you_all be not moved soon from your(pl) witt, neither be afraid, neither by spirit, neither by word, neither by epistle as sent by us, as if the day of the Lord be nigh/near.)

Luth daß ihr euch nicht bald bewegen lasset von eurem Sinn noch erschrecken, weder durch Geist noch durch Wort noch durch Briefe, als von uns gesandt, daß der Tag Christi vorhanden sei.
(that you(pl)/their/her you not soon move_around let from yours(pl) Sinn still scare/frighten, neither through spirit still through word still through letters, as from us/to_us/ourselves sent, that the/of_the day Christi available be.)

ClVg ut non cito moveamini a vestro sensu, neque terreamini, neque per spiritum, neque per sermonem, neque per epistolam tamquam per nos missam, quasi instet dies Domini.[fn]
(as not/no quickly moveamini from your sense, nor terreamini, nor through spirit, nor through conversation, nor through letterolam as_if through us missam, as_if instet days Master. )

2.2 Non cito moveamini. Quasi dicat: Si moveamini; cito est, nihil enim vobis infertur quod diu duret. Neque per spiritum. Id est, si malignus spiritus, quasi angelus lucis apparens in visione hoc vobis persuadeat. Vel, si quis dicat per Spiritum sanctum revelantem hoc se cognovisse quod dies judicii immineat, nolite credere. Neque per Epistolam. Solent enim tergiversatores, ut fallant, sub nomine clari alicujus viri epistolam fingere, ut auctoritas nominis possit commendare quod per seipsum recipi non posset. Quasi instet dies Domini. Non hoc ita dicit quin velit, ut habeant succinctos lumbos et lucernas ardentes in manibus, exspectantes quando revertatur Dominus a nuptiis.

2.2 Not/No quickly moveamini. As_if let_him_say: When/But_if moveamini; quickly it_is, nothing because to_you(pl) infertur that long_time duret. Neither through spirit. That it_is, when/but_if malignus spirit, as_if messenger/angel light apparens in/into/on vision this to_you(pl) persuadeat. Or, when/but_if who/any let_him_say through Spirit holy revelantem this himself I_knewsse that days judgement immineat, don't to_believe. Neither through Epistolam. Solent because tergiversatores, as fallant, under by_name clari alicuyus men letterolam fingere, as authority of_the_name can commendare that through himself recipi not/no could. As_if instet days Master. Not/No this so/thus he_says because wants, as let_them_have succinctos waist and lamps ardentes in/into/on hands, waiting when return Master from wedding.

UGNT εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς, μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι, μήτε διὰ πνεύματος, μήτε διὰ λόγου, μήτε δι’ ἐπιστολῆς, ὡς δι’ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου.
(eis to maʸ taⱪeōs saleuthaʸnai humas apo tou noos, maʸde throeisthai, maʸte dia pneumatos, maʸte dia logou, maʸte di’ epistolaʸs, hōs di’ haʸmōn, hōs hoti enestaʸken haʸ haʸmera tou Kuriou.)

SBL-GNT εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς ⸀μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι μήτε διὰ πνεύματος μήτε διὰ λόγου μήτε διʼ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς διʼ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ ⸀κυρίου.
(eis to maʸ taⱪeōs saleuthaʸnai humas apo tou noos ⸀maʸde throeisthai maʸte dia pneumatos maʸte dia logou maʸte diʼ epistolaʸs hōs diʼ haʸmōn, hōs hoti enestaʸken haʸ haʸmera tou ⸀kuriou.)

RP-GNT εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοός, μήτε θροεῖσθαι, μήτε διὰ πνεύματος, μήτε διὰ λόγου, μήτε δι' ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δι' ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ χριστοῦ·
(eis to maʸ taⱪeōs saleuthaʸnai humas apo tou noʼos, maʸte throeisthai, maʸte dia pneumatos, maʸte dia logou, maʸte di' epistolaʸs hōs di' haʸmōn, hōs hoti enestaʸken haʸ haʸmera tou ⱪristou;)

TC-GNT εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοός, [fn]μήτε θροεῖσθαι, μήτε διὰ [fn]πνεύματος, μήτε διὰ λόγου, μήτε δι᾽ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δι᾽ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ [fn]Χριστοῦ·
(eis to maʸ taⱪeōs saleuthaʸnai humas apo tou noʼos, maʸte throeisthai, maʸte dia pneumatos, maʸte dia logou, maʸte di epistolaʸs hōs di haʸmōn, hōs hoti enestaʸken haʸ haʸmera tou Ⱪristou; )

2:2 μητε ¦ μηδε CT

2:2 πνευματος ¦ του πνευματος ANT

2:2 χριστου ¦ κυριου 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 2:1–4

Some of the Christians at Thessalonica were upset because they thought that Paul had said that the Lord Jesus had already returned. Here Paul sought to correct this misunderstanding. He reminded them that before the Lord Jesus returns, many people will reject God. Then a wicked leader called “the man of lawlessness” will appear.

2:2a

not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed

not to become easily upset or worried

easily: The Greek word tacheōs, which the BSB translates as easily, literally means “quickly” (as RSV, GW, REB, KJV, NASB, SSA). However it can also mean “hastily, rashly, easily” (BSB, NIV, GNT, NET, CEV, NCV, NLT, NJB). The commentators and English versions are evenly divided about which is correct in this context. The Display follows the BSB.

2:2b

by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us,

by any prophecy, any spoken message or any written message which people say came from us^(excl)

by any spirit: The Greek text here is literally “by [a] spirit.” However, many commentators agree that it refers to “prophecy,” that is, a message that the Holy Spirit might give.

message: This probably refers to a spoken message rather than a written message (see the next note).

letter: This refers to a written message.

seeming to be from us: There are two problems with this part of the verse.

The first problem is to decide how 2:2c is connected to 2:2b. There are three possibilities:

It is connected to each of the three terms in 2:2b: “spirit,” “message,” and “letter.”
It is connected only to the last two in the list: “message” and “letter.”
It is only connected to the final item, “letter.”

Each of these has support among the commentators and versions, but the first option has the best support and so it is recommended that you follow it.

The Greek here is literally “as through us.” The second problem therefore with this part of the verse is to decide what this means. There are two ways to understand this expression:

It means that someone had claimed that Paul and his companions had actually said this (in a “spirit,” “message,” or “letter”), even though they had not. (BSB, NIV, RSV, NET, CEV, NCV, GW, REB, NJB, NLT)
It means that some message from Paul had been misunderstood. For example:
Perhaps it is thought that we said this (GNT) (GNT)

The majority of commentators and versions support the first option. So it is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

2:2c

alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.

that says that the day of the Lord Jesus has already arrived.
that claims that the Lord Jesus has already returned.

alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come: In the New Testament, the phrase the Day of the Lord always refers to the day when the Lord Jesus will return. See the note on 1 Thessalonians 5:2b. If it is not possible in your language to say that a day comes (as if it were moving), then you could simply say:

that our Lord Jesus has already returned

General Comment on 2:2

In some languages it may be easier to understand the logic of 2:2 if it is reordered. One way you could do this is:

We ask you, brothers not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by people who claim that the Lord has already come. They may say that they heard this in a prophecy, report, or letter that was supposed to have come from us.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς

in_order (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰς τό μή ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπό τοῦ νοός μηδέ θροεῖσθαι μήτε διά πνεύματος μήτε διά λόγου μήτε διʼ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς διʼ ἡμῶν ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου)

The phrase shaken in your mind refers to a person’s thoughts being unsettled. You could also express this positively. Alternate translation: [for you to remain firm in your thinking]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰς τό μή ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπό τοῦ νοός μηδέ θροεῖσθαι μήτε διά πνεύματος μήτε διά λόγου μήτε διʼ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς διʼ ἡμῶν ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου)

The phrase to be troubled refers to a person’s emotions being unsettled. You could also express this positively. Alternate translation: [and remain peaceful when a message comes] or [and keep calm when you hear something]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

μήτε διὰ πνεύματος, μήτε διὰ λόγου, μήτε δι’ ἐπιστολῆς, ὡς δι’ ἡμῶν

neither nor nor (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰς τό μή ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπό τοῦ νοός μηδέ θροεῖσθαι μήτε διά πνεύματος μήτε διά λόγου μήτε διʼ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς διʼ ἡμῶν ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου)

Paul is leaving out some words here that might be necessary in your language. If it is helpful, you could supply these words. Alternate translation: [when you receive a message either by means of a spirit or by means of a spoken word or by means of a written letter that pretends to be coming from us]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ὡς δι’ ἡμῶν

as_though by us

Paul is leaving out some words here that might be necessary in your language. If it is helpful, you could supply these words. Alternate translation: [that claims to have come from us] or [trying to deceive you that it is from us]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ὡς ὅτι

as_though as that

Paul is leaving out some words here that might be necessary in your language. If it is helpful, you could supply these words. Alternate translation: [that talks as if] or [that falsely claims that]

ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου

the day ˱of˲_the Lord

Here, the day of the Lord refers to the time when Jesus will come back to the earth for all believers.