2 Thessalonians 2:4 BSB

2 Thessalonians 2:4

He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.

KJV

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.

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Commentary

3 voices

Irenaeus

Against Heresies Book III (202)

And the Apostle Paul also, saying, "For though ye have served them which are no gods; ye now know God, or rather, are known of God," has made a separation between those that were not [gods] and Him who is God. And again, speaking of Antichrist, he says, "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped." He points out here those who are called gods, by such as know not God, that is, idols.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

As God was in the temple of old, and worshipped there, and is in and with his church now, so the antichrist here mentioned is some usurper of God's authority in the Christian church, who claims divine honours; and to whom can this better apply than to the bishops of Rome, to whom the most blasphemous titles have been given, as Dominus Deus noster papa--Our Lord God the pope;

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Who opposeth and exalteth - He stands against and exalts himself above all Divine authority, and above every object of adoration, and every institution relative to Divine worship, σεβασμα, himself being the source, whence must originate all the doctrines of religion, and all its rites and ceremonies; so that sitting in the temple of God - having the highest place and authority in the Christian Church, he acts as God - taking upon himself God’s titles and attributes, and arrogating to himself the authority that belongs to the Most High.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

23 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ὁ	ho	who	G3588 →
ἀντικείμενος	antikeimenos	is opposing	G480 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ὑπεραιρόμενος	huperairomenos	exalting himself	G5229 →
ἐπὶ	epi	above	G1909 →
πάντα	panta	every [one]	G3956 →
λεγόμενον	legomenon	named	G3004 →
θεὸν	theon	god	G2316 →
ἢ	ē	or	G2228 →
σέβασμα	sebasma	object of worship	G4574 →
ὥστε	hōste	so as for	G5620 →
αὐτὸν	auton	him	G846 →
εἰς	eis	in	G1519 →
τὸν	ton	the	G3588 →
ναὸν	naon	temple	G3485 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
θεοῦ	theou	of God	G2316 →
καθίσαι	kathisai	to sit down	G2523 →
ἀποδεικνύντα	apodeiknunta	setting forth	G584 →
ἑαυτὸν	he'auton	he himself	G1438 →
ὅτι	hoti	that	G3754 →
ἐστὶν	estin	is	G1510 →
θεός.¶	theos	God.	G2316 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

G1438he'autonhe himself322×

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…
leads to
- Daniel 12:7
  And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever,…
- Revelation 12:14
  But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times,…
- Revelation 13:5–11
  The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
- Revelation 12:6
  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
- Daniel 12:11–12
  And from the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Through
Ezekiel 28:2
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of…
leads to
- Ezekiel 28:9
  Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’ in the presence of those who slay you? You will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who wound you.
- Isaiah 14:13–14
  You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of…
- Isaiah 31:3
  But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish…

Featured studies on this passage

On 2 Thessalonians 2:4

2 Thessalonians: the Study Guide

The man of sin is unveiled: exalting himself against every object of worship, seating himself in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. Paul names him ὁ ἄνομος, “the lawless one,” at 2:8.

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