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2 Thessalonians 2 · a question people ask

"Now you know what is restraining him" (2:6). What is it?

In the text

Here are the letter's own words: "Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things?" (2:5) "Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season." (2:6) "For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way." (2:7). The letter doesn't say who or what restrains, and these notes don't either. They name no one and nothing, then or now.

The verses

“Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.”
2 Thessalonians 2:5-7 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 2: Stand firm

In 2:16-17 the WEB says comfort twice, "eternal comfort" (2:16) and "comfort your hearts" (2:17), and they are two words: behind the first is a noun, and behind the second the verb Strong's gives the noun as coming from.

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions