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2 Thessalonians 2 · a question people ask

"the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction" (2:3). Who is he?

In the text

Here are the letter's own words: "For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction." (2:3) "He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God." (2:4). The letter doesn't name him, and these notes don't either. They name no one, then or now.

The verses

“Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.”
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 · 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