# Interpretation of 2 Thessalonians

- Author: [Theodoret of Cyrus](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/theodoret-of-cyrus/)
- Latin title: *Interpretatio in epistulam ad II Thessalonicenses*
- Date: ca. 436-448 (approximate)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 82 (Paris)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 82 (Paris, 1864)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/
- Passages: 17

## 2 Thessalonians, preface

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-0
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret sets out the occasion of 2 Thessalonians, persecution and false claims that the end had come, and notes the equal power of Father and Son in the greeting.

### Greek text

Γνοὺς ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος τὴν ἐκ τῶν προτέρων λειαν, καὶ ὅτι χαλεπῶς ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως πολεμεύμένοι φέρουσι γενναίως τῶν ἐναντίων τὰς προσβολὰς, καὶ δευτέραν αὐτοῖς Ἐπιστολὴν γέγραφε, παρχθήγων εἰς ἀνδρείαν, καὶ τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδι ψυχαγωγῶν. Ἐπειδὴ ὃ καὶ πεῖσαι τινες αὐτοὺ: ἐπειράθησαν, ὡς ἐνέστηκεν ὁ τῆς συντελείας καιρὸς, τὸν Ἀπόστολον ταῦτα λέγοντες εἰρηκέναι" καὶ περὶ τούτῶν ἐπέστειλε, τὰ προσήκοντα διδάσκων, ὡς δεῖ πρόπερὸν ὀφθῆναι τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας; ἐχθρὸν, τὸν ᾿Αντίχρίστον λέγων " εἶθ᾽ οὕτω γίνεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρο; ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν, Παρήνεσε δὲ καὶ τοῖς τὸν ἀργὸν ϑίον προαιρουμένοις τὰ πρόσφορα. Ἑ κάστου δὲ τούτων τὴν διάνοιαν ἐκ τῇς τῶν ῥητῶν ἑρμηνείας εἰσόμεθα. α', β΄. « Παῦλος καὶ Σιλουανὸς καὶ Τιμόθεος τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεσσαλονικέων, ἐν Θεῷ Πατρὶ ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ - χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. » Τοὺς αὑτοὺς πάλιν ἔλαβε κοινωνοὺς τῶν γραμμάτων, ὡς συνεργοὺς τοῦ κηρύγματος γενομένους. Τὸ δὲ, ἐν Θεῷ Πωτρὶ, ἕοικε τῷ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς γραφομένῳ. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς εἰώθαμεν γράφειν" Ὁ δεῖνα τῷ δεῖνι ἐν Κυρίῳ καίρειν. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα δὲ «οὔ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ ἰσοδύναμον ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ, ἐν Θεῷ Πατρὶ ἡμῶν, ἐπήγαγε, καὶ ἐν Κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. Καὶ πάλιν εἰπὼν, ἐἰπὸ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν, προστέθεικε, καὶ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὡς τῶν αὐτῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ παρὰ «οὔ Πατρὸς ἡμῖν καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ χορηγουμένων.

### English translation (Claude)

[Argument.] The divine Apostle, having learned of the … from the former [letter], and that, though fought against harshly for the faith, they bore nobly the attacks of their opponents, wrote them a second letter as well, spurring them on to courage and comforting them with the hope of the things to come. And since some had tried to persuade them that the time of the consummation had arrived, saying that the Apostle had said so, he wrote also about this, teaching what is fitting: that the enemy of the truth, meaning the Antichrist, must be seen first, and only then will the appearing of our God and Savior take place. He also gave suitable exhortation to those who chose the idle life. We shall learn the sense of each of these from the interpretation of the words.

“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He again took the same men as partners in the letter, since they had been fellow workers in the preaching. “In God the Father” resembles what we write in our letters; for we are accustomed to write, “So-and-so to so-and-so, greeting in the Lord.” Here too he taught us the equal power of the Father and the Son. For having said “in God our Father,” he added “and in the Lord Jesus Christ”; and again, having said “from God our Father,” he added “and the Lord Jesus Christ,” since the same good things are supplied to us both by the Father and by the Son.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 1:1–2: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Thess 2:2: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the argument (hypothesis) of the letter and the lemma 2 Thess 1:1–2. A word is lost in the first sentence (probably “benefit”), marked …. Letters misread by the OCR were corrected or translated by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. pref. (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0).

## On 2 Thess 1:3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-1-3
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's praise of the Thessalonians' faith under persecution, the just judgment at Christ's coming in fire, and the warning that the Antichrist, a man filled with the devil's working, must come before the day of the Lord.

### Greek text

Υ΄. « Εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῷ Θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοὶ, καθὼς ἄξιόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὑπερανξάνει ἢ πίστις ὑμῶν, καὶ πλεονάζει ἡ ἀγάπη ἑνὸς ἐκάστου πάντων ὑμῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους. » Πάλιν τῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ" σχηματίζει τὴν εὐφημίαν, καὶ θαυμόζει μὲν αὐτῶν τὴν περὶ τὸν Θεὸν πίστιν, θαυμάζει δὲ τὴν περὶ τοῦ πέλας ἀγάπην. Δι᾿ ἀμφοτέρων δὲ τὴν τελεωτάτην αὖτοῖς ἀρετὴν μαρτυρεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Κύριος ἐν ταῖς δύο ταύταις ἐντολαῖς ὅλον ἔφη τὸν νόμον καὶ τοὺς προδ᾽, ε΄. « Ὥστε ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐν ὑμῖν καυχᾶσθαι ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὑμῶν καὶ πίστεως ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς διωγμοῖς ὑμῶν, ἐν ταῖς " θλίψεσιν αἷς ἀνέχεσθε. "Ἐνδειγμα τῆς δικαίας χρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ καταξιωθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῆς βατσιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ ἧς καὶ πάσχετε. » Καὶ τὸ μέγεθὸος τῶν προσλαμθδανόντων" ὑμῖν μανθάνοντες λυπηρῶν, καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν καρτερίαν, δι᾽ ἧς ἀποχρούεσθε ταῦτα, σεμνυνόμενοι ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀνδρτίαν ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις 'Ἔκκλησίαις θαυμάξομεν. Οἴδαμεν δὲ καὶ, ὡς ἴστε σαφῶς, τῶν κινδύνων πὰ ἄθλα, καὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν προσδέχεσθε βασιλείαν, τοῦ ἀγωνοθέτου τὴν δικαίαν ἐπιστάμενοι ψῆφον. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν ἔγδειγμα τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ποιεῖ δὲ αὑτὸ σαφέστερον διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς", ς΄ η΄. « Εἴπερ δίκαιον παρὰ Θεῷ ἀνταποδοῦναι τοῖς θλίβουσιν ὑμᾶς θλίψιν, καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς θλιξομένοις ἄνεσιν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ ἀποκαλύψει τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ μετ᾽ ἀγγέλων δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς, διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τοῖς μὴ ἀκούουσι τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ. ν» Τὸ, εἵπερ, οὖχκ ἐπὶ ἀμφιβολίας τέθεικεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ βεβαιώσεως. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς εἰώθαμεν ἐσχυριζόμενοι λέγειν " Εἴπερ τόδε ἀληθὲς, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀληθές. Λέγει τοίνυν ὅτι δίκαιον καὶ πρὲπὸν τῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης νομοθέτῃ, καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ τῶν τῆς πίστεως ἀμείψασθαι παθημάτων, καὶ τοὺς ἐνανκατὰ τὸν τῆς συντελείας χαιρήν " τηνικαῦτα γὰρ παραγίνεται μὲν οὐρανόθεν ὁ Κύριο;, ἡγοῦνται δὲ τῶν φλογὶ οἱ τὸν τῆς ἀπιστίας περικείμενοι ζόφον. Ταῦτα δὲ γέγραφεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, τοὺς τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ χαλεπὰ ὑπομένοντα: τῇ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδι ψυχαγωγῶν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ φόβου μεστὸν ἔδειξε τὸ χριπέριον " πρῶτον μὲν ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ δείξαι νόμενον τὸν Κριτήν " ἔπειτα τῶν διακονούντων τὴν δύναμιν " ἄγγελοι γὰξῤ οὗτοι - εἶτα τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ εἶδος." φλογὶ γὰρ πυρὸς παραδίδονται. Εἰ δὲ οἱ μὴ πειθόμενοι τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ταῦτα πείσονται", εὔδηλον ὡς καὶ χαλεπωτέρων πειρασθήσονται οἱ καὶ τοῖς πι- 6’,, ε Οἴτινες δίκην τίσουσιν, ὄλεθρον αἰώνιον, ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τῆ: ἰσχύος αὑτοῦ, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐνδοξασθῇναι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πιστεύσατιν. » ᾿Αχριδέστερον.ἔδειξε τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ μέγεθος, αἰὼνιον ταύτην ἀποκαλέσας. "ἔδειξε δὲ καὶ τῶν πεὲπιστευχότων τὴν περιφάνειαν, αὐτὸν εἰρηκὼς τὸν Θεὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς δοξασθήσεσθαί τε καὶ θαυμαπθήσεσθαις ᾿ Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον, οἱ μὲν εἰσὶν ἐν ταλαιπωρίαις καὶ πόνοις, τινὲς δὲ πονηρίᾳ συζῶντες ἀφθόνων ἀπολαύουσιν ἀγαθῶν, ἐν δέ γε τῇ τῆς χρίσεως ἡμέρᾳ ἀναῤῥηθήσονται μὲν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ στεφάνων ἀξιωθήσονται, κολασθήσονται δὲ οἱ πονηρίᾳ συνεζηχότες " εἰκότως ἔφη, ὅταν ἔλθῃ. ἐνδοξασθῆναὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὑτοῦ, καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς μὴ πιστεύσασι. Τότε γὰρ τοῦ χριτοῦ τὴν δικαίαν ψῆφον θαυμάσουσιν ἅπαντες. «ε Ὅτι ἐπιστεύθη τὸ μαρτύριον ἡμῶν, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. » Τὸ, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, τῷ ἄνω ἀποδοτέον - θαυμάτεται" γὰρ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς πιστεύσασιν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. δαρτύριον δὲ τὸ κήρυγμα προσηγόρευσε. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς ἔφη πεπιστευκέναι. ια’, ιβ΄, « Εἰς ὃ καὶ προσευχόμεθα πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἵνα ὑμᾶς ἀξιώσῃ τῆς κλήσεως ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ πληρώσῃ πᾶσαν " εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνη;, καὶ ἔργον πέστεως ἐν δυνάμει. “Ὅπως ἐνδοξχσθῇ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν αὐτῷ, κατὰ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, καὶ Κυρίου Ἔηπτοῦ Χριστοῦ. ν Τούτου δὴ χάριν ἀντιδολοῦμεν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, ὥστε ὑμᾶς ἀξιωθέντας τῆς κλήσεως πάντων ἐμφορηθῆναι τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὥστε ὑμᾶς καὶ «τοὺς τῆς πίστεως βλαστῆσαι καρπούς. "Εργον δὲ «τεἰστεως " ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ὑπομονὴν προτηγόρευσεν. Οὕτω γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ αὑτὸς ἐν ὑμῖν δοξασθήσεται, καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτῷ τῆς μελλούσης χοινωνήσετε δόξης. Οὕτω τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων φυχαἀγωγήσας αὐτοὺς, εἰς τὴν περὶ συντελείας διδασκαλίαν μεταφέρει τὸν λόγον. α’, 8'. ε ἙἘρωτῶμεν" δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, ὑπὲρ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμῶν ἐπισυναγωγῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὺς, μήτε θροεῖσθαι, μήτε διὰ πνεύματος, μήτε διὰ λόγου, μήτε δι᾽ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δι᾽ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ Κυρίου. » Τὸ, ἐρωτῶμεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, παρακαλοῦμεν, ἀεὶ τίθησι, Τὸ δὲ, ἡμῶν ἐπισυναγωγῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, σαφέστερον ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ δεδήλωκεν ᾿Επιστολῇ, Εἶπε γὰρ, ὅτι εἰς ἀέρα ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ οὕτως πάντοτε σὺν Κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος ἔφη. ὅτι ε ᾿Αποστελεῖ τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὑτοῦ, καὶ συνάξουσι τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων, ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὑτῶν. ν Παρεγγυᾷ τοίνυν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, μὴ πιστεύειν τοῖς λέγουσιν ἐνεστηκέναι τὸν τῆς συντελείας καιρὸν, καὶ παραυτίκα τὸν Κύριον ἐπιφανήσεσθαι, μήτε εἰ γὰρ λέγει, μήτε διὰ πγεύματος " μὴτε εἰ πλασά.μενο: ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ γραφεῖσαν ἐπιστολὴν προφέροιεν, μὴτε εἰ ἀγράφως αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι λέγοιεν, Εἶτα πάλιν τὸ αὑτὸ συντόμως" … Πάντα κατὰ ταὐτὸν τὰ τῆς ὁπάτης εἴδη. Διδάσκει δὲ αὑτοὺς καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῶν πάντας ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίας σημεῖον. «Ὅτι! ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀποστασία πρῶτον, καὶ ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπλείας " (δ΄.) ὁ ἀντικείμενος καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν, ἣ σέβασμα, ὥστε αὑτὸν εἰς" τὸν ναὺν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς θεὸν καθίσαι, ἀποδεικνύντα ἑαυτὸν ὅτι ἔστι θεός. ν ᾿Αποστασίαν αὐτὺν ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αντίχριστον, ἀπὸ τοῦ πράγματος αὐτῷ τοὔνομα τεθεικώς. ᾿Αποστῆσαι γὰρ ἅπαντας τῆς ἀληθείας πειρᾶται, "Αγθρωπον δὲ αὐτὸν ἁμαρτίας 0 ῥευσεν, ἐπειδὴ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι τὴν φύσιν, πᾶσαν ἐν ἐχυτῷ τοῦ διαβόλου δεχόμενος τὴν ἐνέργειαν " υἱὸν' ὃς ἀπωλείας, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸν ἀπολλύμενον, καὶ ἑτέροις πρόξενον τούτου γινόμενον. Μιμεῖται γὰρ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλάστωρ ποῦ θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τὴν ἐυνανθρώπτσιν " καὶ ὥσπερ αὑτὸ; ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν ἀναλαβὼν, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπραγματεύσατο σωτηρίαν' οὕτως ἐκεῖνος ἄνθρωπον ἐκλεξάμενος πᾶσαν αὑτοῦ δέξασθαι δυνάμενον τὴν ἐνέργειαν, δε αὐτοῦ πάντας ἐξαπατῆσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πειράσεται, Χριστὸν ἐχυτὸν καὶ Θεὺν ὀνομάζων, καὶ τῶν καλουμένων θεῶν διελέγχων τὸ ψεῦδος, ὅπερ αὑτὸς ἐν τοῖς παρελη: λυθόσι χρόνοις ἐκράτυνε. Ναὸ» ὃὲ Θεοῦ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐκάλεσεν, ἐν αἷς ἁρπάσει τὴν προεδρείαν, θεὸν ἑαυτὸν ἀποδεικνύναι πειρώμενος, Ταῦτα καὶ ὁ θεῖος προηγόρενσε Δανιήλ. Ἔφη γάρ’ « Καὶ ἐπὶ θεοὺς τῶν πατρῶν αὑτοῦ οὐ συνήσει, καὶ θτὸν Μαωζεὶμ '᾿ ἐπὶ τόπῳ ἑαυτοῦ δοξάσει" » ἀντὶ τοῦ, Θεὸν ἰσχυρὸν ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάσει. Εἶτα διδάσκων ὡ; οὐ καινὴν αὐτοῖ; προσφέρει διδασκαλίαν, ἐπήγαγεν "

### English translation (Claude)

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you all toward one another is increasing.” Again he shapes the praise in the form of thanksgiving; he admires their faith in God and admires their love toward their neighbor. By both he bears witness to their most perfect virtue. For the Lord too said that on these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets.

“So that we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring: a sign of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering.” Learning both the greatness of the painful things that befall you and your endurance, by which you repel them, we take pride in you and admire your courage in the other churches. And we know, as you clearly know too, the prizes of the dangers; and you await the kingdom of heaven, knowing the just verdict of the president of the games. This is what he meant by “a sign of the righteous judgment of God.” He makes it clearer through what follows: “Since it is just with God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give rest to you who are afflicted, along with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power, in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” He put “since” not as a doubt but as an affirmation; for we too are accustomed to say emphatically, “If indeed this is true,” meaning, as indeed it is true. He says, then, that it is just and fitting for the lawgiver of righteousness both to reward us for the sufferings of faith and [to punish] the adversaries … at the time of the consummation. For then the Lord comes from heaven, and those wrapped in the gloom of unbelief are led to the flame. The divine Apostle wrote this to comfort those who were enduring those terrible and harsh things with the hope of things to come. That is why he showed the judgment seat full of fear: first he showed the Judge appearing from heaven; then the power of those who serve him, for these are angels; then the kind of punishment, for they are handed over to flaming fire. And if those who do not obey the gospel will suffer this, it is plain that those who [also afflict the faithful] will undergo harsher things.

“Who will pay the penalty, eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have believed.” He showed the greatness of the punishment more exactly by calling it eternal. He showed also the splendor of those who believed, saying that God himself will be glorified and marveled at in them. For since in the present life some are in miseries and toils, while some who live in wickedness enjoy goods in abundance, but on the day of judgment the righteous will be proclaimed and counted worthy of crowns, while those who have lived in wickedness will be punished, he fittingly said, “when he comes to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have not believed.” For then all will marvel at the judge’s just verdict. “Because our testimony to you was believed, on that day.” “On that day” is to be joined to what is above: for “he will be marveled at in all who have believed, on that day.” He called the preaching “testimony,” and he said that they too had believed it.

“To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of the calling and fulfill every good pleasure of goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” For this reason we entreat the God of all that you, counted worthy of the calling, may be filled with all good things, so that you may also put forth the fruits of faith. Here he called endurance in sufferings the “work of faith.” For so, he says, he himself will be glorified in you, and you will share with him in the glory to come.

Having thus comforted them with the hope of things to come, he turns his discourse to the teaching about the consummation. “Now we ask you, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, not to be quickly shaken from your mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us, as though the day of the Lord had come.” He always uses “ask” for “exhort.” “Our gathering together to him” he made clearer in the former letter. For he said that we shall be caught up into the air in clouds to meet the Lord, and so we shall always be with the Lord. The Lord too said this in the holy Gospels: “He will send his angels, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” The divine Apostle, then, urges them not to believe those who say that the time of the consummation has arrived and that the Lord will appear at once: not if anyone says it, he says, through a spirit; nor if they produce a letter forged as though written by him; nor if they say that he said it without writing. Then again he says the same briefly: … All the kinds of deceit at once. He teaches them, and through them all of us, the greatest sign of the Lord’s coming as well: “For unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in the temple of God as God, proclaiming himself to be God.” He called the Antichrist himself “apostasy,” giving him his name from the thing he does; for he tries to make all apostatize from the truth. He called him “man of sin,” since he is a man by nature, receiving in himself the whole working of the devil; and “son of perdition,” as one who both perishes himself and becomes the cause of perdition for others. For the destroyer of mankind imitates the incarnation of our God and Savior: as he, assuming human nature, achieved our salvation, so that one, choosing a man able to receive his whole working, will try through him to deceive all people, calling himself Christ and God, and exposing the falsehood of the so-called gods, which he himself had established in past times. He called the churches the “temple of God,” in which he will seize the chief seat, trying to show himself to be God. The divine Daniel too foretold this; for he said: “And he will not regard the gods of his fathers, and the god Maozim he will glorify in his place,” meaning: he will name himself the mighty God. Then, teaching that he is not offering them new teaching, he added:

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 1:3–2:4: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 22:40: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Thess 4:17: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 24:31: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 11:37–38: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 1:3 through 2:4, not only 1:3. Theodoret identifies the “man of sin” with the Antichrist, a man through whom the devil will work in imitation of the incarnation, and the “temple of God” with the churches; translated as written. Words are lost in the scan in the comment on 1:3 (the end of Matt 22:40), on 1:6–8, on 1:8, and the lemma 2:3a (“Let no one deceive you in any way”); marked … or supplied in brackets. Quotations: Matt 22:40; 1 Thess 4:17; Matt 24:31; Dan 11:37–38. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, apparatus and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed; letters misread by the OCR were corrected or translated by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 1.3 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/1-3).

## On 2 Thess 1:5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-1-5
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret notes that Paul had already taught the Thessalonians about the Antichrist.

### Greek text

ε΄. « Οὐ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ἔτι ὧν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ταῦτα ἔλεγον ὑμῖν; » Λέγει δὲ καὶ τί δήποτε μέλλει, καὶ μἢ παραυτίκα φαίνεται,

### English translation (Claude)

“Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” He says also why he is to come and does not appear at once:

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 2:5: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 2:5, not 1:5; the comment continues in ref 1.6.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 1.5 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/1-5).

## On 2 Thess 1:6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-1-6
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret rejects the views that what restrains the Antichrist is the Roman Empire or the grace of the Spirit, and explains it as God's decree and the preaching of the gospel to all nations.

### Greek text

ς΄. « Καὶ νῦν τὸ κατέχον οἴδατε, εἰς τὸ ἀποκαλυφθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν " τῷ ἑαυτοῦ χαιρῷ, ν» Τινὲς τὸ, κατέχον, τὴν Ῥωμαϊκην ἐνόησαν βασιλείαν " τινὲς δὲ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος. εἶς τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριτος, ἐκεῖνος οὐ παραγίνεται, Ἄλλ᾽ οὐκ οἷόν τε παύσατθα! παντελῶς τὶν χάρι" Β τοῦ Πνεύματος. Πῶς γὰρ ἕνεστι τῶν ἐκείνου περ γενέσθαι μηχανημάτων τοὺς τῆς πνευματικῆς ἐπικουρίας ἐστερημένους; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὴν Ρωμαϊκὴν βασιλείαν ἑτέρα διαδέξεται βασιλεία, Διὰ γὰρ τοῦ τετάρτου θηρίου καὶ ὁθειότατος Δανιὴλ τὴν Ῥωμαϊκῆν ἡνίξατο βασιλείαν, Ἔν ὃὲ τούτῳ τὸ μιχρὺν κέρας ἐβλάστησε τὸ ποιοῦν πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων. Αὐτὸς δ᾽ οὗτός ἔστι, περὶ οὗ τὰ προῤῥηθέντα εἶπεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος. Οὐδέτερον τούτων οἷἶτιαι φάναι τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον, ἀλλὰ τὸ παρ᾽ ἑτέρων εἰρημένον ἀληθὲς; εἶναι ὑπολαυ βάνω. Ἐδοχίβασς γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς παρὰ τὸν τῆς συντελείας αὐτὸν ὀφθῆναι καιρόν. Ὃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὄρος νῦ" ἐπέχει φανῆναι. Οἶμαι δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν ἔχειν διάνοιχν τὸ ῥητόν. Μεμαθηκὼς γὰρ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος εἰρηκέναι τὸν Κύριον, ὡς χηρυχῆῆναι δεῖ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ τότε γίνεσθαι τὸ τέλος " ὁρῶν δὲ κρατοῦσαν ἕτι τῶν εἰδώλων τὴν θεραπείαν, τῇ Δεσποτικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ ἑπόμενος, ἔφη πρότερον καταλυθήσεσθαι τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας τὸ κράτος, καὶ πανταχοῦ διαλάμψειν τὸ σωτήριον κήρυγμα, καὶ τότε φανήσεσθαι τὸν «ἡ; ἀληθείας ἀντίπαλον.

### English translation (Claude)

“And now you know what restrains, so that he may be revealed in his own time.” Some understood “what restrains” as the Roman Empire, others as the grace of the Spirit; [for, they say, while] the grace of the Spirit [remains], that one does not come. But it is not possible for the grace of the Spirit to cease altogether. For how could those deprived of spiritual help prevail over his schemes? Nor will another empire succeed the Roman Empire. For by the fourth beast the most divine Daniel too hinted at the Roman Empire, and in it sprang up the little horn that makes war with the saints. And this, they say, is the one about whom the divine Apostle said what was foretold. I do not think that the divine Apostle meant either of these, but I suppose that what has been said by others is true. For the God of all decreed that he should be seen at the time of the consummation. It is God’s decree, then, that now restrains him from appearing. But I think the saying has another sense too. For the divine Apostle had learned that the Lord said the gospel must be preached to all the nations, and then the end would come; and seeing that the worship of idols still prevailed, he followed the Master’s teaching and said that the power of superstition would first be destroyed and the saving preaching would shine out everywhere, and then the adversary of the truth would appear.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 2:6: quotation, high confidence
- Dan 7:7–8: allusion, high confidence
- Dan 7:21: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 24:14: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 2:6, not 1:6. A few words are lost in the scan in the account of the second view and are supplied in brackets. Allusions: Dan 7:7–8, 21; Matt 24:14. Apparatus notes and Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, were removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 1.6 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/1-6).

## On 2 Thess 1:7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-1-7
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret identifies the mystery of lawlessness with the heresies through which the devil prepares the Antichrist's open deceit.

### Greek text

ζ΄. « Τὸ γὰρ μυστήριον τῆς ἀνομία; ἤδη ἕνερ- Β γεῖται "5,) Τινὲς τὸν Νέρωνα ἔφασαν κληθῆναι τῆς ἀνομίας μυστήριο», καὶ δυπαεθείας ἐργάτην γεγενημένον. Ἐγὼ ὃὲ οἶμαι τὰς ἀναφνυείσας αἱρέσεις πλοῦν τὸν ᾿Απόστολον. Δι᾽ ἐκείνων γὰρ ὁ διάβολος πολλοὺ: ἀποστήσας τῆς ἀληθείας, προκατασκευάζει τῆς: ἀπάτης τὸν ὄλεθρον. υστήριον δὲ αὐτοὺς εἱνομίας ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς κεκρυμμένην ἔχοντας τῆς ἀνημίας τὴν πάγην. Αὐτὸς γὰρ προφανῶς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀφίστησιν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ ἀποκχά- «ἴυψιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ταρουσίαν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος κέκληκεν, Ὃ γὰρ κρύβδην ἀεὶ κατεσκεύαζε, τότε προφανῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην κηρύξει. ε« Μόνον "ὁ ὁ κατέχων ἄρτι, ἕως ἐκ μέσου γένητα'. » Δεῖ δὲ παύσασθαι τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας τὴν πλάνην, καὶ κηρυχθῆναι τὸ Εὐαγ-

### English translation (Claude)

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” Some said that Nero was called the mystery of lawlessness, as one who had become a worker of impiety. But I think that the Apostle means the heresies that had sprung up. For through them the devil, having made many apostatize from the truth, prepares in advance the ruin his deceit will bring. He called them the mystery of lawlessness as having the snare of lawlessness hidden; for that one will openly turn people away from God. That is why the Apostle called his coming a “revelation.” For what he always contrived secretly, he will then proclaim openly and expressly. “Only he who now restrains [will do so], until he is out of the way.” The error of superstition must cease, and the gospel be preached …

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 2:7: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 2:7a and 2:7b, not 1:7. Theodoret rejects the identification of the mystery of lawlessness with Nero. The end of the comment is lost in the scan.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 1.7 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/1-7).

## On 2 Thess 1:8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-1-8
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains the destruction of the lawless one by Christ, his false wonders worked by Satan, God's permitting of error for those who reject the truth, and the equality of Son and Father shown by the order of names.

### Greek text

η΄. « Καὶ τότε "Ἶ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ "" Κύριος Ἰησοῦς " ἀναλώσει τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὑτοῦ. » "ἔδειξεν ὡς ἐνῆν τὸ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς δυνάμεως μέγεθος. ἙἘπιφανεὶς γὰρ, φησὶ, οὖρλνόθεν, φθέγξεται μόνον, καὶ πανωλεθρίᾳ παραδώσει τὸν ἁλιτήριον. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Προφήτης προεθέσπισεν Ἢσαϊας. Εἰρηκὼς γάρ' ε« Ἐξελεύσεται ῥάβδος ἐκ πῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσταὶ, » καὶ τὰ περὶ τούτου διεξελθὼν, ἐπήγαγε" « Καὶ τῷ πνεύματι διὰ χειλέων ἀνελῇ τὸν ἁσεβῇ. » Διδάσκει δὲ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ὑπὸ τίνος οὗτος ἐνεργούμενος ταῦτα πάντα ἐργάσεται, γ΄, τ΄, «Οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσία κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ἕν πάτῃ δυνάμε!, καὶ σημείοις, καὶ τέρασι ψεύδους, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ τῆς ἀδικίας ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις. » Οὐ γὰρ πάντων κρατήσει, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀπωλείας ἀξίων, οἱ καὶ δίχα τῆς τούτου παρουσίας σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τῆς σωτηρίας ἐστέρησαν. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐξῇς φησι. Διδάσκει δὲ ὡς καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα … οὐκ ἀληθῇ θαύματα. Τοιαῦτα δὲ ποιοῦσι καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν ψήφων τὰς ἐπωνυμίας ἔχοντες. Δεικνύουσι γὰρ χρυσὸν οὐκ ἀληθῶς ὄντα χρυσὸν, καὶ ἕτερά τινα, ἃ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον ἐλέγχεται. εἶΑνθ᾽ ὧν " τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτοὺς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμψει αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης, εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει, (ια΄.) ἵνα κριθῶσι πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύοντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ εὐδοκήσαντες ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ "".» ᾿Ἀγάπην ἀληθείας τὸν Κύριον κέκληκεν, ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡμᾶς καὶ γνησίως ἀγαπήσαντα. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὑτὸς ὁ Δεσπότης ἔφη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις " « Ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μον, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετέ με᾽ ἔρχεται ἄλλος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ ὀνόματι, κἀκεῖνον λήψεσθε. Ἰουδαίοις τοίνυν μάλιστα πρόφασις συγ- Β γνώμης οὐδεμία καταλειφθήσεται. Ὡς ἀντιθέῳ γὰρ … πιστεῦσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ μὴ βουληθέντες, ἐκείνῳ πιστεύσουσι" καίτοι ὁ μὲν Κύριος Θεὸν ἑαυτὸν προφανῶς οὐκ ἐχάλετε " ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀπεστάλθαι, καὶ ἐντολὴν εἰληφέναι, καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ποιεῖν ἔλεγε τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Οὗτος δὲ τοὐναντίον ἑαυτὸν ἀποχὰλέσει τῶν ὅλων Θεόν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως αὑτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι Τὸ δὲ, Πέμψει αὑτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πιάγης, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ᾿Συγχωρήσει φανῆναι τὴν πλάνην, τέθεικεν, ὥστε δειχθῆναι τῆς πονηρίας τοὺς ἐραστάς. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς αὐτὴν πέμψει, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς αὐτὴν ἀναλώσει τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. ιδ΄, ιγὴ. ε Ἡμεῖς δὲ ὀφείλομεν εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοὶ ἤγαπη μένοι ὑπὸ Κυρίου, ὅτι εἴλετο "" ὑμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς εἰς σωτηρίαν ἐν ἁγιασμῷ Πνεύματος, καὶ πίστει ἀληθείας, Εἰς ὃ ἐκάλεσεν ὑμᾶς διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἡμῶν, εἰς περιποίησιν δόξης τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.» Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὸν προσήκοντα ἔσται καιρόν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν χορηγὸν ἀνυμνοῦμεν, ὅτ: «ἧς σωτηρίας ὑμᾶς ἠξίωσε, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου μετέδωκεν, ὥστε καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν αὐτὸν παρὰ πάντων ιδ΄, « ΓΑρα οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, στήκετε, καὶ κρατεῖτε τὰς παραδόσεις ἃς ἐδιδάχθητε, εἴτε διὰ λόγον, εἴτε δι᾽ Ἐπιστολῆς ἡμῶν. » Ἔχετε κανόνα διδασκαλίας τοὺς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ὑμῖν προσενεχθέντας λόγους, οὗς καὶ παρόντες ὑμῖν ἐκηρύξαμεν, καὶ ἀπόντες ἐγράψαμεν. Εἶτα πάλιν εὐχῇ τὴν διδασκαλίαν χραιε΄, τς΄. « Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, καὶ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ὁ ἀγαπήσας ἡμᾶς, καὶ δοὺς παράκλησιν αἰωνίαν, καὶ ἐλπίδα ἀγαθὴν ἐν γάριτι, παρακαλέσαι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας, καὶ στηρίξαι ὑμᾶς ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ ἀγαθῷ. » Ὁ μισοῦντας ἀγαπήσας, καὶ ἐχθροὺς ὄντας καλέσας, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν δεδωκὼς τὴν ἐλπίδα, κρατύναι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πίστει, ὥστε καὶ λόγοις ἀγαθοῖς καὶ ἔργοις διαλάμπειν παραπλησίοις, Καὶ ταῦτα δὲ τὴν "Δρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου βλασφημίαν ἐλέγχει, καὶ διδάσκει σαφῶς, ὡς οὐδὲ ἡ τάξις τῶν ὀνομάτων διαφορὰν ἀξιωμάτων δηλοῖ, Τὸν γὰρ Υἱὸν ἐνταῦθα προέταξς «οὐ Πατρὸς, οὐ μείζονα τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν Υἱὸν εἶναι διδάσκων, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῆς τάξεως ἐναλλαγῇ τὴν ὁμοτιμίαν α’, β΄. ε Τὸ λοιπὸν προτεύχεσθε περὶ ἡμῶν, ἀδελφι, ἵνα ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου τρέχῃ καὶ δοξάζηται, καθὼς καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς" καὶ ἵνα ῥυσθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀτόπων καὶ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων. » Διπλῇ μὲν ἢ αἵτησις εἶναι δοκεῖ, μία δὲ ὅμως ἐστί. Τῶν γὰρ πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡττωμένων, ἀκωλύτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Β κηρύγματος συντρέχει λόγος, « Οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἧ πίστις. ν Τοῦτο καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἔφη " Ἧ πεισμονὴ οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος " Θεοῦ γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ καλεῖν, ἡμῶν δὲ τὸ πείθεσθαι. Οὕτω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγεν « Εἴ τις διψᾷ, ἐρχέσθω πρός με καὶ πινέτω.» Καί" «ε Εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρντ,σάσθω ἑαντὸν, καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἀχολουθήτω μοι. » Οὐ γὰρ ἀνάγκῃ βιάζεται, ἀλλὰ τὴν γνώμην ζητεῖ.

### English translation (Claude)

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the appearing of his coming.” He showed how great the power of the Master is. For appearing from heaven, he says, he will only speak, and will hand the wicked one over to utter destruction. The prophet Isaiah too foretold this. For having said, “A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse,” and having gone through what concerns him, he added: “And with the breath through his lips he shall slay the ungodly.” The divine Apostle teaches by whom this one will be worked in doing all these things: “Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness among those who are perishing.” For he will not prevail over all, but over those worthy of destruction, who even without his coming had deprived themselves of salvation. He says this in what follows too. He teaches also that the things that will be [done by him] … not true miracles. Such things are done also by those named after the pebbles of the conjurors. For they show gold that is not truly gold, and other things that are exposed a little later.

“Because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send them a working of error, so that they believe the lie, in order that all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.” He called the Lord the “love of the truth,” as one who loved us truly and genuinely. The Master himself said this to the Jews: “I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; another comes in his own name, and him you will receive.” To the Jews, then, above all no excuse for pardon will be left. For as one who is against God … those who refused to believe the Lord will believe that one; and yet the Lord did not openly call himself God, but said that he had been sent by the Father, had received a commandment, and did what pleases the God and Father. But that one, on the contrary, will call himself the God of all. Yet the Jews [will receive] him … “God will send them a working of error” he put in place of “he will allow the error to appear,” so that the lovers of wickedness may be shown up. For he will not send it himself; rather he himself will consume it by the word of his mouth.

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth, to which he called you through our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” These things, then, will happen at the fitting time. But we hymn the provider of good things, because he counted you worthy of salvation and gave you a share of the Holy Spirit, so that he is [glorified] by all because of you … “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions that you were taught, whether by word or by our letter.” You have as a rule of teaching the words offered to you by us, which we preached when present and wrote when absent. Then again he strengthens the teaching with a prayer: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.” He who loved those who hated him, and called those who were his enemies, and gave the hope of the good things to come, strengthen you in the faith, so that you may shine with good words and with deeds to match. This too refutes the blasphemy of Arius and Eunomius, and teaches clearly that not even the order of the names shows a difference of dignity. For here he put the Son before the Father, not teaching that the Son is greater than the Father, but [showing] by the exchange of order their equality of honor.

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, as it is also with you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men.” The request seems double, yet it is one. For when evil men are defeated, the word of the preaching runs unhindered. “For not all have faith.” He said this elsewhere too: “The persuasion is not from him who calls.” For calling belongs to God, being persuaded to us. So too the Lord said in the holy Gospels: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” And: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” For he does not force by necessity, but seeks the free will.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 2:8–3:2: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 11:1: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 11:4: quotation, high confidence
- John 5:43: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 5:8: quotation, high confidence
- John 7:37: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 16:24: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 2:8 through 3:2, not 1:8. Theodoret says that the Jews above all will receive the Antichrist, applying John 5:43, and takes “God will send them a working of error” as permission, not sending; translated as written. On 2:16 he argues against Arius and Eunomius from the Son’s being named first. Words are lost in the scan in the comment on 2:9–10, 2:12, and 2:13 (marked … or supplied in brackets). Quotations: Isa 11:1, 4; John 5:43; Gal 5:8; John 7:37; Matt 16:24. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, apparatus and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed; letters misread by the OCR were corrected or translated by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 1.8 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/1-8).

## On 2 Thess 2:3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-3
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret begins to explain Paul's assurance that the Lord will guard the Thessalonians.

### Greek text

Υ΄. «Πιστὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ Κύριος, ὃς στηρίξει ὑμᾶς, καὶ φυλάξει ἀπὸ τοῦ Πονηροῦ. » Ἣν ἤἥτησεν εὐχὴν

### English translation (Claude)

“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” The prayer he had asked for …

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 3:3, not 2:3. The rest of the comment is lost in the scan.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.3 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-3).

## On 2 Thess 2:4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-4
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's expression of confidence as encouragement to live up to it.

### Greek text

δ. « Πεποίθαμεν δὲ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἃ παραγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, καὶ ποιεῖτε, καὶ ποιήσετε. » ἹΚαὶ τοῦτο εἰς προτροπὴν αὐτῶν τέθεικεν, ἵνα μαθόντες οἵας ἔχει δόξας περὶ αὐτῶν, τοῖς ἔργοις βεβαιώ-

### English translation (Claude)

“And we are confident in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things we command.” This too he set down to urge them on, so that, learning what opinion he holds of them, they may confirm it by their deeds …

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:4: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 3:4, not 2:4. The end of the comment is lost in the scan.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.4 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-4).

## On 2 Thess 2:5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-5
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains that the prayer names Lord, God, and Christ, and so shows the Trinity, with "Lord" meaning the Holy Spirit.

### Greek text

ε΄. ε« Ὁ δὲ Κύριος κατευθύναι ὑμῶν τὰς καρδίας εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην 5 τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑπομονὴν «τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » ᾿Αμφοτέρων ἡμῖν χρεία, καὶ προθέσεως ἀγαθῆς, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν συνεργείας. Τούτων τυχεῖν καὶ ὁ Προφήτης ἱκέτευσε" ε« Κατεύθυνον τὰ διαθδήματά μου ἐν ταῖς τρίύοις σον, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῇ διαδήματά μου. ν» Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος τὴν Τριάδα ἡμῖν ὑπέδειξε. Κύριον γὰρ τέθεικε, καὶ Θεὸν, καὶ Χριστόν. Δῆλον δὲ ὅτι Κύριον τὸ πανάγιον προσηγόρευσε {Πνεῦμα. Οὕτω καὶ Κορινθίοις ἐπιστέλλων γέγραφεν" ε Ὁ ὃὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν. » Ἐντεῦθεν λοιπὸν περὶ τῶν τοὺς ἀποστολικοὺς ὄρους παραβαινόντων ποιεῖται τοὺς λόγους.

### English translation (Claude)

“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the endurance of Christ.” We need both, a good purpose and cooperation from above. The prophet too entreated to obtain these: “Direct my steps in your paths, that my steps may not be shaken.” The divine Apostle has shown us the Trinity. For he set down Lord, and God, and Christ; and it is plain that by “Lord” he named the all-holy Spirit. So too, writing to the Corinthians, he said: “Now the Lord is the Spirit.” From here he speaks about those who transgress the apostolic boundaries.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:5: quotation, high confidence
- Ps 17:5 (16:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 3:17: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 3:5, not 2:5. Theodoret takes “the Lord” here as the Holy Spirit, so that the verse names the Trinity; translated as written. Quotations: Ps 17:5 (LXX 16:5); 2 Cor 3:17. Marginal letters were removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.5 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-5).

## On 2 Thess 2:6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-6
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains the command to separate from disorderly brothers who do not follow the tradition Paul gave by his example.

### Greek text

ς΄. ε Παραγγέλλομεν ὃὲ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοὶ, ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. » ᾿Αξιόπιστον ἀπέφηνε τὸν λόγον τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου μνήμῃ. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἔστι, φησὶν, ὁ δι᾽ ἡμῶν ταῦτα νομοθετῶν. Καὶ τίς ἡ παραγγελία; ε Στέλλεαθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντος, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν, ἣν κ:ερέλαδον παρ᾽ ἡμῶν.» Τὸ, στέ.λ:λεσθαι, ἀντὶ τοῦ, χωρίζεσθαι, τέθεικε. Παράδοσιν" δὲ λέγει, οὐ τὴν διὰ λόγων, ἀλλὰ τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων. Διδάσκει δὲ καὶ τίς αὐτή. ᾿

### English translation (Claude)

“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He made the word trustworthy by mentioning the Lord. For it is he, he says, who legislates these things through us. And what is the command? “That you keep away from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which they received from us.” He put “keep away” in place of “separate.” And by “tradition” he means not the tradition through words but that through deeds. He also teaches what it is.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:6: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 3:6a and 3:6b, not 2:6. Latin of Migne’s parallel column and footnotes, read as Greek letters, were removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.6 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-6).

## On 2 Thess 2:7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-7
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains that Paul worked night and day to support himself while preaching.

### Greek text

ζ΄. « Αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἴδατε πῶς δεῖ μιμεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἢταχτήσαμεν ἐν ὑμῖν. ν Τί δὲ τὸ εἶδος τῆς ἀταξίας; η΄, ε« Οὐδὲ δωρεὰν ἄρτον ἐφάγομεν παρά τινος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν ἐργαζόμενοι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν. » Ἴστε σαφῶς ὡς τὸ θεῖον ὑμῖν προσφέροντες Εὐαγγέλιον, οὐδὲν παρ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἐχομισάμεθα, ἀλλὰ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν διετελέσαμεν πονοῦντες, ὥστε τῆς ἀναγκαίας ἐντεῦθεν ἀπολαύειν τροφῆς. Εἶτα διδάσκων ὡς ὑπὲρ τὸν θεῖον ταῦτα ἣν νόμον, ἐπήγαγεν"

### English translation (Claude)

“For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not disorderly among you.” And what is the form of disorder? “Nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying, but with labor and toil we worked night and day, so as not to be a burden to any of you.” You know clearly that when we brought you the divine gospel we received nothing from anyone, but continued laboring night and day so as to get our necessary food from it. Then, teaching that this went beyond the divine law, he added:

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:7–8: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 3:7 and 3:8, not 2:7.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.7 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-7).

## On 2 Thess 2:9

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-9
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains that Paul gave up his right to support as an example, and that "let him not eat" is addressed to the idle.

### Greek text

θ΄. « Οὐκ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ἑαυτοὺς τύπον δῶμεν ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ μιμεῖσθαι ἡ μᾶς. ν Οὕτω καὶ Κορινθίοις ἐπιστέλλων γέγραφε' ε δὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξονσίαν φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν; ν Καὶ ὅτι ὁ Κύριος διέταξς τοῖς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον καταγγέλλουσιν, ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ζῇν. ᾿.« Καὶ γὰρ ὅτε ἧμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τοῦτο παρηγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι, εἴ τις οὐ θέλει ἐργάζεσθαι, μηδὲ ἐσθιέτω. » Οὐδὲν καινὸν ὑμῖν γράφομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑμᾶς ἐδιδάξαμεν. Τὸ δὲ, μὴ ἐσθιέτω, οὐ πρὸς τοὺς παρέχοντας εἴρηκεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς ἀργίᾳ συζῶντας. Τοῖς δὲ παρέχουσι παραινεῖ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα, μὴ εἰς τὴν ἐκείνων ἀφορᾷν μοχθηρίαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ οἱ-

### English translation (Claude)

“Not because we do not have the right, but to give ourselves as an example to you, so that you might imitate us.” So too, writing to the Corinthians, he said: “Do we not have the right to eat and drink?” and that the Lord directed that those who proclaim the gospel should live from the gospel. “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat.” We write you nothing new, but what we taught you from the beginning. He said “let him not eat” not to those who provide but to those who live in idleness. To those who provide he gives exhortation a little later, not to look at the others’ wickedness, but to their own …

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:9–10: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 9:4: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 9:14: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 3:9 and 3:10, not 2:9. Quotations: 1 Cor 9:4, 14. The end of the comment is lost in the scan. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.9 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-9).

## On 2 Thess 2:11

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-11
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret notes that idleness breeds gossip and meddling.

### Greek text

ια΄. « ᾿Ακούομεν γάρ τινας περιπατοῦντας ἐν ὑμῖν ἀτάκτω; μηδὲν ἐργαζομένους, ἀλλὰ περιεργαζομένους. » ἤϊδιον γὰρ τῶν ἀργίᾳ συζώντων ἀδολεσχία, καὶ φλυαρία, καὶ ἣ ἀνόνητος πολυπραγμοσύνη.

### English translation (Claude)

“For we hear that some among you walk disorderly, doing no work but being busybodies.” For idle talk, chatter, and useless meddling are characteristic of those who live in idleness.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:11: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 3:11, not 2:11.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.11 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-11).

## On 2 Thess 2:12

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-2-12
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains the command that the idle work quietly and eat their own bread.

### Greek text

ιβ΄. ε Τοῖς δὲ τοιούτοις παραγγέλλομεν καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα μετὰ ἡσυχίας ἐργαζόμενοι, τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρτον ἐσθίω σιν. » Οὕτω τούτοις τὴν ἐργασίαν καὶ τὴν ἡσυχίαν νομοθετήσας, παραινεῖ τοῖς ἄλλοις τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ χε» χρῆσθαι.

### English translation (Claude)

“Now such people we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ, that working in quietness they eat their own bread.” Having thus legislated work and quietness for these, he exhorts the others to practice brotherly love.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:12: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemma 2 Thess 3:12, not 2:12.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 2.12 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/2-12).

## On 2 Thess 3:10

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-3-10
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains that the disobedient are to be kept at a distance but cared for and admonished as sick members, not treated as enemies.

### Greek text

ι΄. « Ὑμεῖς δὲ, ἀδελφοὶ, μὴ ἐκκακήσητε ποιοῦντες. » Μὴ νικήσῃ τὴν ὑμετέραν φιλοτιμίαν ἢ ἐκείνων μοχθηρία. ιδ'᾽, τε΄, « Εἰ δέ τις οὐκ ὑπακούει τῷ λόγῳ ἡμῶν, διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τοῦτον σημειοῦσθε, γκαὶ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθε αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἐντραπῇ. Καὶ μὴ ὡς ἐχθρὸν ἡγεῖσθε, ἀλλὰ νουθετεῖτε ὡς ἀδελφόν. » Τούτῳ δεῖ τῷ χανόνι προσέχειν τοὺς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν πεπιστευμέγους οἴακας. Τὴν γὰρ σωματικὴν θεραπείαν τῶν πλημμελούντων οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος" τῆς δὲ πνευματικῇς αὐτοὺς ἐστέρησε παῤῥηπίας. Ἐπιμελείας δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀξιοῦσθαι προσέταξεν' Μὴ ὡς ἐχθρὸν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡγεῖσθε, ἀ.λλὰ νουθετεῖτε ὡς ἀδειφόν. Μελῶν γὰρ νενοσηκότων ἐπέχουσι τάξιν’ τοῖς δὲ τοιούτοις τὴν πρόσφορον θεραπείαν προσφέρειν εἰώ-

### English translation (Claude)

“But you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” Let not their wickedness overcome your generosity. “If anyone does not obey our word through this letter, mark that person, and do not associate with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” Those entrusted with the helms of the churches must attend to this rule. For the divine Apostle did not forbid the bodily care of those who offend, but he deprived them of spiritual freedom of speech. He commanded that they be counted worthy of care: “Do not regard him as an enemy,” he says, “but admonish him as a brother.” For they hold the place of sick members; and to such it is customary to offer the treatment that suits them …

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:13–15: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 3:13 and 3:14–15, not 3:10. Theodoret applies the passage to church leaders’ discipline of offenders. The end of the comment is lost; marginal debris was removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 3.10 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/3-10).

## On 2 Thess 3:16

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-3-16
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains Paul's prayer for peace and his autograph greeting.

### Greek text

ις΄. « Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος τῆς εἰρήνης δῴη ὑμῖν τὴν εἰρήνην ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ. » Ὥστε καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρηνεύειν, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἐναντίων ἐπιβουλῆς ἀπηλλάχθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, ἐν παντὶ τρόπῳ. ε Ὃ Κύριος μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. (τζ᾽.) Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου, ὅ ἐστι σημεῖον ἐν πάσῃ Ἐπιστολῇ. Οὕτως γράφω. » ᾿Ασπασμὸν ἐκάλεσε τὴν ἐν τῷ τέλει κειμένην εὐλογίαν.

### English translation (Claude)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace in every way.” So as to be at peace both with him and with one another, and to be freed from the plots of the adversaries; this is what “in every way” shows. “The Lord be with you all. The greeting is by my own hand, Paul’s, which is a sign in every letter; this is how I write.” He called the blessing placed at the end the “greeting.”

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:16–17: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The ref holds the lemmas 2 Thess 3:16a and 3:16b–17. A marginal letter was removed.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 3.16 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/3-16).

## On 2 Thess 3:18

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/0/#p-3-18
- Source: PG 82
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-11-12

Summary: Theodoret explains that the closing blessing was Paul's autograph sign against forged letters.

### Greek text

τη. « Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. ᾿λμήν. » Τοῦτο δὲ προστέθεικε διὰ τοὺς πεπλασμένας ἐπιστολὰς περιφέρειν τολμῶντας, διδάσκων ἐπιζητεῖν αὑτοῦ τὴν ὑπογραφήν. Τοῦτο γὰρ, φησὶ, τῶν ἐμῶν Ἐπιστολῶν σημεῖον. Ἔν πάσῃ γὰρ Ἐπιστολῇ τὸν ἀσπασμὸν ἐγὼ γράφω. Μανθάνομεν «οίνυν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς τὸ, Ἢ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν "ησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. Ἀμὴν " ἀντὶ «οὔ, Ἐῤῥῶσθαί σε, γράφειν εἰώθει. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν εὐλογίαν τρυγήσαντες, τὸν διὰ τούτου φθεγξάμενον Χριστὸν ἀνυμνήσωμεν. Μεθ᾿ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ, σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. Ἢ πρὸς θεσσαλονικεῖς δευτέρα Ἐπιστο)ἢ ἐγράφη ἀπ᾿ ᾿Αθηνῶν. 

### English translation (Claude)

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” He added this because of those who dared to circulate forged letters, teaching them to look for his signature. For this, he says, is the sign of my letters; for in every letter I write the greeting. We learn from this, then, that he was accustomed to write “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” in place of “Farewell.” But let us, having gathered the apostolic blessing, hymn Christ, who spoke through him, with whom to the Father, with the all-holy Spirit, be glory and majesty, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.

The second letter to the Thessalonians was written from Athens.

### Scripture references

- 2 Thess 3:18: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Thess 2:2: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Lemma 2 Thess 3:18. The last sentence is the manuscript subscription printed in the edition. Latin of Migne’s parallel column, read as Greek letters, was removed from the end.

### Citation (SBL)

Theodoret, Interp. 2 Thess. 3.18 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-2-thessalonicenses/3-18).