The Skeptics Annotated Bible (951 page)

2 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.

(2.2)
“Be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled … by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand
.”

3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition
;

(2.3)
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom
the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth
, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

(2.8)
“The Lord shall consume
[the wicked]
with the spirit of his mouth.”

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders
,

(2.9)
“Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”
Satan, not God, is all-powerful.
306 Can only God work wonders?

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

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

12
That they all might be damned
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(2.11-12)
“God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned.”
God will cause us to believe lies so that he can damn us to hell.
158 Do humans have free will?
139 Does God lie?
311 Does God want some people to go to hell?
443 Who forces non-believers to disbelieve?

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

(2.13)
“God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.”
God selects those who are to be saved (or damned) “from the beginning.” It makes no difference how good, kind, honest, or loving we may be; if God hasn’t chosen us, we are damned to hell.
158 Do humans have free will?