Second Epistle to the Thessalonians

A New Testament letter addressed to the Christian community in Thessalonica, traditionally attributed to Paul. It addresses persecution, communal order, and expectations about the day of the Lord.

First Epistle to the Thessalonians: A New Testament letter traditionally attributed to Paul and addressed to the Christian community in Thessalonica. Its close parallels and differences make it the essential comparison for reading this letter.
Day of the Lord: A biblical expression for a time when God acts decisively in judgment and deliverance. The letter rejects claims that this day has already arrived.
Paul the Apostle: A first-century Jewish missionary and author of several letters included in the New Testament. The letter presents itself as written by Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.
Christian persecution: Hostility or punitive treatment directed at people because of their Christian faith. The opening praises the community’s endurance amid affliction.
Thessalonica: An ancient Macedonian city, founded in 315 BCE and later a major center of Roman administration and trade. The letter addresses a Christian community in this city.
Man of lawlessness: An adversarial figure in 2 Thessalonians who opposes God and exalts himself before the day of the Lord. His appearance is one of the events said to precede that day.
Pseudepigraphy: The practice of composing a work under the name of an earlier or more authoritative figure. Many scholars use this concept to assess the letter’s disputed Pauline authorship.
Church discipline: Practices by which a religious community addresses conduct that violates its shared standards. The letter instructs the congregation to respond to disorderly conduct.
Pauline epistles: Letters in the New Testament associated with Paul, including letters attributed to him and letters widely considered pseudonymous. This letter belongs to the collection whose authorship and historical layers frame its interpretation.
Apostasy: The abandonment or rejection of a religious faith or allegiance. The letter places a rebellion before the day of the Lord.

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