2:2a

easily: The Greek word tacheōs, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as easily, literally means “quickly” (as Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, SSA). However it can also mean “hastily, rashly, easily” (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible). The commentators and English versions are evenly divided about which is correct in this context. The Display follows the Berean Standard Bible.

2:2b

by any spirit: The Greek text here is literally “by [a] spirit.” However, many commentators agree that it refers to “prophecy,” that is, a message that the Holy Spirit might give.

message: This probably refers to a spoken message rather than a written message (see the next note).

letter: This refers to a written message.

seeming to be from us: There are two problems with this part of the verse.

The first problem is to decide how 2:2c is connected to 2:2b. There are three possibilities:

(1) It is connected to each of the three terms in 2:2b: “spirit,” “message,” and “letter.”

(2) It is connected only to the last two in the list: “message” and “letter.”

(3) It is only connected to the final item, “letter.”

Each of these has support among the commentators and versions, but the first option has the best support and so it is recommended that you follow it.

The Greek here is literally “as through us.” The second problem therefore with this part of the verse is to decide what this means. There are two ways to understand this expression:

(1) It means that someone had claimed that Paul and his companions had actually said this (in a “spirit,” “message,” or “letter”), even though they had not.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) It means that some message from Paul had been misunderstood. For example:

Perhaps it is thought that we said this (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation)

The majority of commentators and versions support the first option. So it is recommended that you follow the first option (1).

2:2c

alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come: In the New Testament, the phrase the Day of the Lord always refers to the day when the Lord Jesus will return. See the note on 1 Thessalonians 5:2b. If it is not possible in your language to say that a day comes (as if it were moving), then you could simply say:

that our Lord Jesus has already returned

General Comment on 2:2

In some languages it may be easier to understand the logic of 2:2 if it is reordered. One way you could do this is:

We ask you, brothers not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by people who claim that the Lord has already come. They may say that they heard this in a prophecy, report, or letter that was supposed to have come from us.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.