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NASB | 2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness [rebellion against divine authority and the coming reign of lawlessness] is already at work; [but it is restrained] only until he who now restrains it is taken out of the way. |
Subject: chapter6 opening the seals |
Bible Note: Also, Nelson's NKJV Study Bible states, "He who now restrains: There was a good reason why the man of sin had not been revealed. The present restrainer, probably the Spirit of God, had to be taken out of the world. God has restrained sin in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works directly through the Bible, godly people, and His holy angels to advance God's kingdom and restrain evil. Some have interpreted 'taken out of the way' in this verse as a reference to the Rapture, for the church cannot exist without the Spirit's presence. Thus the removal of the church through the Rapture will be in effect the removal of all restraint on the power of sin in this world. There are a variety of other interpretations for this verse and the identity of the restrainer. The Roman state, the emperor of Rome, Paul's missionary work, the Jewish state, or the principle of law and government embodied in the state have all been proposed as the restrainer of lawlessness." The MacArthur Study Bible states, "'taken out of the way.' This refers not to spatial removal (therefore it could not be the rapture of the church) but rather "a stepping aside." The idea is "out of the way," not gone (cf. Col. 2:14 where our sins are taken out of the way as a barrier to God). This restraint will be in place until the Antichrist is revealed, at the midpoint of the Tribulation, leaving him 42 months to reign (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:5)." |