2 Thessalonians 2:1
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul earnestly appeals to the believers, on the basis of the coming of the Lord Jesus and the gathering of His people to Him, to hear what he is about to say.
What Does 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Mean?
Paul now takes up the matter that prompted much of this letter: confusion about the Lord's return. He approaches it gently, with "we beseech you, brethren," the language of a brother pleading, not a master commanding. He grounds his appeal in two precious truths the readers already cherish, "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "our gathering together unto him."
These two phrases hold the church's whole hope: Christ will come, and His scattered people will be gathered home to Him. By naming these realities, Paul reminds the Thessalonians of what is certain before he addresses what has confused them. Whatever rumors are unsettling them, the bedrock has not moved. The Lord is coming, and His own will be brought safely into His presence. Paul wants their feet planted firmly on that hope before he corrects their error.
In the Original Language
episunagoge (ἐπισυναγωγή), "gathering together" — a being assembled to one place, used here of believers gathered to Christ.