2 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians · Chapter 2

2 Thessalonians 2:5

1Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,2That 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.3Let 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;4Who 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.5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.8And 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:9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.13But 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:14Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.15Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.16Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,17Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?Do you not remember that I told you these things while I was still with you?Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Paul reminds them that he told them these things while he was still with them. This was not new teaching. They should have remembered it before being shaken. 2 Thessalonians 2:22 Thessalonians 2:5

SpeakingPaul, writing with Silvanus and Timotheus. Paul signs the letter in his own hand (3:17). 2 Thessalonians overview

ToThe church of the Thessalonians, believers in Thessalonica whom Paul had taught in person. 2 Thessalonians overview

Also involvedThe Thessalonian believers, whom Paul had taught in person. 2 Thessalonians 2:52 Thessalonians overview

Paul pauses in his teaching on the man of sin (2:3-12) to remind them of what they already knew. 2 Thessalonians 2:32 Thessalonians 2:5

The letter went to Thessalonica, a city of Macedonia in northern Greece. The letter does not say where it was written; the traditional view is Corinth. 2 Thessalonians overview

The eventsPaul taught them "when I was yet with you," during his first visit to Thessalonica. 2 Thessalonians 2:52 Thessalonians overview

WrittenTraditional: about AD 50-51, from Corinth, a few months after 1 Thessalonians. Scholarly: some hold a follower wrote it in Paul's name later in the first century; many others accept that Paul wrote it soon after 1 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians overview

HerePaul uses their memory as a defence against the false claim (2:2). 2 Thessalonians 2:22 Thessalonians 2:5

In the whole of ScriptureJesus said, "these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember" (John 16:4). Paul told the Galatians, "I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past" (Galatians 5:21), and reminded the Thessalonians of what he "commanded you" when with them (3:10). John 16:4Galatians 5:212 Thessalonians 3:10

For readersRemembering what Scripture already teaches guards believers against new claims. 2 Thessalonians 2:5John 16:4

  • Rememberμνημονεύω
    Greek · mnēmoneuō · G3421

    The word means to remember, to call to mind. Strong's G3421

  • toldλέγω
    Greek · legō · G3004G

    The word means to say, to speak. The form here means "I was saying," an ongoing telling. Strong's G3004G

Takeaway

Paul reminds the church that he taught them these things in person. 2 Thessalonians 2:5John 16:4

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
SurelyΟὐOuG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

you do rememberμνημονεύετεmnēmoneueteG3421
to remember

μνημονεύω (mnēmoneuō) μνημονεύω (μνήμων, mindful) [in LXX for זָכַר ;] 1. to call to mind, remember : absol., Mrk.8:18; with genitive of person(s), Luk.17:32, Col.4:18, 1Th.1:3, Heb.11:15 (but see infr.) Heb.13:7; τ. πτωχῶν, Gal.2:20; with genitive of thing(s), Jhn.15:20 16:4, 21, Act.20:35; with accusative obj. (as more frequently in cl.), of persons, 2Ti.2:8; of things, Mat.16:9, 1Th.2:9, Rev.18:5; before ὅτι, Act.20:31, Eph.2:11, 2Th.2:5; πόθεν, Rev.2:5; πῶς, Rev.3:3. 2. to make mention of: with genitive, Heb.11:15 (but see supr., and cf. M, Th., I, 18); before περί, Heb.11:22.† (AS)

thatὅτιhotiG3754G
that/since: that

ὅτι (hoti) ὅτι, conjc. (prop. neut. of ὅστις). I. As conjc, introducing an objective clause, that; 1. after verbs of seeing, knowing, thinking, saying, feeling: Mat.3:9 6:32 11:25, Mrk.3:28, Luk.2:49, Jhn.2:22, Act.4:13, Rom.1:13 8:38 10:9, Php.4:15, Jas.2:24, al.; elliptically, Jhn.6:46, Php.3:12, al. 2. After εἶναι (γίνεσθαι): defining a demonstr. or of person(s) pron., Jhn.3:19 16:19, Rom.9:6, 1Jn.3:16 al.; with pron. interrog., Mat.8:27, Mrk.4:41, Luk.4:36, Jhn.4:22 al.; id. elliptically, Luk.2:49, Act.5:4, 9, al.; …

yetἔτιetiG2089
still

ἔτι (eti) ἔτι adv., yet, as yet, still; 1. of time; (a) of the present (adhuc): Mrk.5:35, 1Co.3:3 15:17, Gal.1:10, al.; (b) of the past, mostly with impf.: Mat.12:46, Luk.8:49 15:20, Jhn.20:1, Act.9:1, Rom.5:6, 8, 2Th.2:5, Heb.7:10 9:8, al.; (with) of the future: Luk.1:15, 2Co.1:10; (d) with a neg.: Mat.5:13, Luk.16:2 20:36, Heb.10:2, Rev.3:12 20:3, al. …

beingὢνōnG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

withπρὸςprosG4314
to/with

πρός (pros) πρός, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative I. I. C. genitive, of motion from a place, from the side of, hence metaphorically, in the interests of, Act.27:34 (cf. Page, in l.). II. II. C. dative, of local proximity, hard by, near, at: Mrk.5:11, Luk.19:37, Jhn.18:16 20:11, 12 Rev.1:13. III. C. accusative, of motion or direction towards a place or object, to, towards. 1. Of place, …

youὑμᾶςhumasG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

these thingsταῦταtautaG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

I was sayingἔλεγονelegonG3004G
to say

λέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of …

to you?ὑμῖν;huminG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.