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the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of his coming; whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish. He taught not only the coming of the Antichrist, but also his death, thus teaching from the first things and from the last things that he is false. For his coming is according to the working of Satan, and his end, and his destruction, and his perdition, comes about through the coming of the Lord. Because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be judged who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. For Christ also said this to the Jews: I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. Another will come in his own name, and him you will receive. But the phrase, God will send to them, means He will permit it to be sent; just as it is with, God gave them over to shameful passions. But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you for salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which he called you through our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 95.925 Having gone through the things concerning the unbelieving Jews, and having taught what their end will be (for that they might be judged, he says), he also goes through the things of the believers, for whom the introduction is thanksgiving, and upon the thanksgiving he says: first, that they were loved by God, and that He chose them as a firstfruit for salvation, and that He sanctified them, and that He deemed them worthy of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, brothers, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word, or by our epistle. It is necessary, he says, for those who boast of such great things to stand firm. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who has loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. See how again he lightens their afflictions, praying for consolation to come to them.

CHAPTER 3. Finally, pray, brothers, for us, that the word of the Lord may run,

and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. For not all men have faith. He asks the same in return; praying for them, he commands them to pray also for him. And this prayer for him is that the preaching may advance through him. Thus, therefore, it is necessary for me to ask the saints to pray for us, that we may advance in the things according to God, since all other things are superfluous, and not entirely useful, whether you speak of health, or peace, or any of the external things. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and keep you from the evil one. This which he asked them to pray for him, he also prays for them. And he asked that he might be delivered from unreasonable men who are opposed to the faith. Therefore he also prays for them, that they be kept from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do the things which we command you. He says they have no need of the remaining exhortations; For already, he says, you have shown them through your works; and you are not content with what has been done, but you will also add to them hereafter. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. The prayer is constant, since it is also concerning great things. And this is, to love God, and to endure the afflictions for Christ, and to join patience to love, or rather to seal love with patience; since if we love, but do not endure, love too is dissolved. Now we command you, brothers, in the name of the Lord

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Κύριος ἀναλώσει τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ· οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσία κατ' ἐνέργειαν τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει, καὶ σημείοις, καὶ τέρασι ψεύδους, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ τῆς ἀδικίας ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις. Οὐ μόνον τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου ἐδίδαξεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ, οὕτως καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πρώτων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑστέρων διδάσκων αὐτὸν εἶναι ψευδῆ. Ἡ παρουσία μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ κατ' ἐνέργειαν τοῦ Σατανᾶ, καὶ τὸ τέλος δὲ, καὶ ἡ κατάργησις αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἡ ἀπώλεια, διὰ τῆς παρουσίας γίνεται τοῦ Κυρίου. Ἀνθ' ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμψει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς ψεύδει, ἵνα κριθῶσι πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύσαντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ἀλλ' εὐδοκήσαντες ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· Ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μου, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετέ με. Ἕτερος ἥξει ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀνόματι, κἀκεῖνον λήψεσθε. Τὸ δὲ, ἀποστελεῖ αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς, συγχωρήσει ἀποσταλῆναι· ὁποῖόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ, Παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ὀφείλομεν εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοὶ ἠγαπημένοι ὑπὸ Κυρίου, ὅτι εἵλετο ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ἀπ' ἀρχῆς εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐν ἁγιασμῷ πνεύματος καὶ πίστει ἀληθείας, εἰς ὃ ἐκάλεσεν ὑμᾶς διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἡμῶν εἰς περιποίησιν δόξης τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. 95.925 ∆ιεξελθὼν τὰ περὶ τῶν ἀπιστησάντων Ἰουδαίων, καὶ διδάξας ὁποῖον αὐτῶν ἔσται τέλος (Ἵνα γὰρ κριθῶσι, φησὶ), διεξέρχεται καὶ τὰ τῶν πιστευσάντων, ὧν καὶ τὸ προοίμιον εὐχαριστία, καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ λέγει· πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι ἠγαπήθησαν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ὅτι ἐξελέξατο αὐτοὺς ὥσπερ ἀπαρχὴν εἰς σωτηρίαν, καὶ ὅτι ἡγίασεν, καὶ ὅτι Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἠξίωσεν. Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, στήκετε, καὶ κρατεῖτε τὰς παραδόσεις, ἃς ἐδιδάχθητε, εἴτε διὰ λόγου, εἴτε δι' ἐπιστολῆς ἡμῶν. Ἀναγκαῖον, φησὶ, τοὺς περὶ τοσούτων καυχωμένους ἑστάναι βεβαίως. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἡμῶν ὁ ἀγαπήσας ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς παράκλησιν αἰωνίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα ἀγαθὴν ἐν χάριτι, παρακαλέσαι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας, καὶ στηρίξαι ὑμᾶς ἐν παντὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ. Ὅρα πῶς πάλιν ἐπικουφίζει αὐτῶν τὰς θλίψεις, τὴν παράκλησιν αὐτοῖς ἐλθεῖν εὐχόμενος.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Γʹ. Τὸ λοιπὸν προσεύχεσθε, ἀδελφοὶ, περὶ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου τρέχῃ,

καὶ δοξάζηται, καθὼς καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἵνα ῥυσθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀτόπων καὶ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων. Οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἡ πίστις. Τὸ ἴσον ἀνταπαιτεῖ· εὐχόμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, εὔχεσθαι προστάττει, καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. Αὕτη δὲ ἡ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ προσευχὴ, τὸ προκόπτειν δι' αὐτοῦ τὸ κήρυγμα. Οὕτως ἄρα δεῖ με αἰτεῖν τοὺς ἁγίους ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εὔχεσθαι, ἵνα ἐν τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν προκόπτωμεν, ὡς τά γε ἄλλα πάντα περιττὰ, καὶ οὐ πάντως χρήσιμα, κἂν ὑγείαν εἴπῃς, κἂν εἰρήνην, κἂν ὁτιοῦν τῶν ἐκτός. Πιστὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, ὃς στηρίξει ὑμᾶς, καὶ φυλάξει ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Τοῦτο ὅπερ ᾔτησε αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ εὔξασθαι, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν εὔχεται. Ἤτησε δὲ, ἵνα ῥυσθῇ ἐκ τῶν ἀτόπων ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἀντικειμένων τῇ πίστει. Τοῦτο οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτοῖς ἐπεύχεται, φυλαχθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Πεποίθαμεν δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἃ παραγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, καὶ ποιεῖτε. Οὐ χρείαν ἔχειν αὐτούς φησι, τῶν λοιπῶν παραινέσεων· Ἤδη γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτὰς ἐπεδείξατε διὰ τῶν ἔργων· καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεῖσθε ἐπὶ τοῖς γεγονόσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα προσθήσετε. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος κατευθύναι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Συνεχὴς ἡ προσευχὴ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ περὶ μεγάλων γίνεται. Τοῦτο δέ ἐστι, τὸ ἀγαπῆσαι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὑπομεῖναι ταῖς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ θλίψεσι, καὶ συνάψαι τῇ ἀγάπῃ τὴν ὑπομονὴν, μᾶλλον δὲ σφραγίσαι τὴν ἀγάπην τῇ ὑπομονῇ· ὡς εἰ ἀγαπῶμεν, οὐχ ὑπομένομεν δὲ, καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη διαλύεται. Παραγγέλλομεν δὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου