Discipline which is so inflexible as to leave no place for repentance and reconciliation has ceased to be truly Christian; for it is no less a scandal to cut off the penitent sinner from all hope of re-entry into the comfort and security of the fellowship of the redeemed community than it is to permit flagrant wickedness to continue unpunished in the Body of Christ.
Philip Hughes

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

{1:1} Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of theThessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; {1:2} Graceto you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. {1:3}We are bound to give thanks to God always to you, brethren, even as itis meet, for that your faith growth exceedingly, and the love of eachone of you all toward one another aboundeth; {1:4} so that we ourselvesglory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in allyour persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; {1:5} [whichis] a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end thatye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye alsosuffer: {1:6} if so be that it is righteous thing with God torecompense affliction to them that afflict you, {1:7} and to you thatare afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus fromheaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, {1:8} renderingvengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not thegospel of our Lord Jesus: {1:9} who shall suffer punishment, [even]eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of hismight, {1:10} when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and tobe marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony untoyou was believed) in that day. {1:11} To which end we also pray alwaysfor you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfilevery desire of goodness and [every] work of faith, with power; {1:12}that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him,according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

{2:1} Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our LordJesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; {2:2} to the endthat 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 dayof the Lord is just at hand; {2:3} let no man beguile you in any wise:for [it will not be,] except the falling away come first, and the manof sin be revealed, the son of perdition, {2:4} he that opposeth andexalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped;so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.{2:5} Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you thesethings? {2:6} And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end thathe may be revealed in his own season. {2:7} For the mystery oflawlessness doth already work: only [there is] one that restrainethnow, until he be taken out of the way. {2:8} And then shall be revealedthe lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of hismouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; {2:9}[even he], whose coming is according to the working of Satan with allpower and signs and lying wonders, {2:10} and with all deceit ofunrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not thelove of the truth, that they might be saved. {2:11} And for this causeGod sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:{2:12} that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, buthad pleasure in unrighteousness. {2:13} But we are bound to give thanksto God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God choseyou from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spiritand belief of the truth: {2:14} whereunto he called you through ourgospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. {2:15}So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye weretaught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours. {2:16} Now our LordJesus Christ himself, and God our Father who loved us and gave useternal comfort and good hope through grace, {2:17} comfort your heartsand establish them in every good work and word.

{3:1} Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord mayrun and be glorified, even as also [it is] with you; {3:2} and that wemay be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for all have notfaith. {3:3} But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, andguard you from the evil [one]. {3:4} And we have confidence in the Lordtouching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command.{3:5} And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and intothe patience of Christ. {3:6} Now we command you, brethren, in the nameof our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from everybrother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which theyreceived of us. {3:7} For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us:for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; {3:8} neither did weeat bread for nought at any man’s hand, but in labor and travail,working night and day, that we might not burden any of you: {3:9} notbecause we have not the right, but to make ourselves and ensample untoyou, that ye should imitate us. {3:10} For even when we were with you,this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.{3:11} For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that worknot at all, but are busybodies. {3:12} Now them that are such wecommand and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness theywork, and eat their own bread. {3:13} But ye, brethren, be not weary inwell-doing. {3:14} And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle,note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he maybe ashamed. {3:15} And [yet] count him not as an enemy, but admonishhim as a brother. {3:16} Now the Lord of peace himself give you peaceat all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all. {3:17} Thesalutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in everyepistle: so I write. {3:18} The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be withyou all.

The American Standard Version of the Holy Bible is now in the Public Domain. Feel free to copy it for your friends, give it away, sell it,and publish it. http://www.ebible.org/bible/asv