What did Paul really say in 2 Thessalonians 2:7?
Did Paul say that someone is going to be taken out of the way or did Paul say someone was coming into existence out of the Midst?
I really enjoyed doing this Blog; it focuses on what Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, most believers today would agree that there are so many Bible Translations available to read. Some are accurate according to the original Greek and Hebrew and some are way off.
I believe very strongly that we MUST look at the original Greek and Hebrew to grasp hold of the Truth, and whatever we read MUST be in alignment to the original text.
Below is the Text that we are focusing on in this Blog.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Many Pastors and Teachers and I say many, have taught on this verse as if someone is physically taking or removing something out of the way.
Many focus on the word “Taken” and the word “Way” they then begin to preach and teach as though someone is taking something out of the way, most have never thought to actually check what the two words mean in the Greek and how they are used in the whole of the New Testament.
First I will show you how it can be different in another Translation, you will see exactly what I mean.
This is how it reads in another Translation.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it ((comes into being)) out of the ((midst.))
Have you noticed the extreme difference?
Let me put the two translations against each other.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be ((taken)) out of the ((way)).
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it ((comes into being)) out of the ((midst.))
What a difference to a verse two Translations can make, two very different pictures are created with these two different Translations.
This is why WE MUST find out what the words are in the Greek and what they really mean before we begin to teach.
I will now present it to you with the two Greek words.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be Ginomai out of the Mesos.
Part One
The Word Ginomai.
This is what the Greek word “Ginomai” means:
· Am born
· Become
· Come about
· Happen
· Arrive
· To come into being
· To arise
· To emerge
· Transition from one point to another
· Manifestation implying motion
· Movement or growth
We can safely say that it means to “physically show oneself in a physical space of time.
An example of this in English grammar is (She BECAME a Doctor when she was 25 Years old).
The weather will BECOME cold after the sun goes down.
Here is a perfect example in the Bible.
John 1:2-3 The same was in the beginning with God. All things were MADE (Ginomai) by Him and without Him was not anything MADE (Ginomai) that was MADE (Ginomai)
John DID NOT say “All things were (taken away) by Him,” No! John clearly stated “All things were MADE or came into being by Him”
Ginomai means to Come into Being, IT DOES NOT MEAN TO BE REMOVED OR TAKEN AWAY.
Here are some more verses that show what Ginomai means.
Hebrews 3:14 For we (Ginomai) ARE MADE partakers of Christ.
Philippians 2:7 Jesus made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant and (Ginomai) WAS MADE in the likeness of men.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a New Creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things (Ginomai) ARE BECOME new.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And you (Ginomai) BECAME followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
1 Thessalonians 2:14 For you, brethren,(Ginomai) BECAME followers of the Churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer Tribulation; even as it (Ginomai) CAME TO PASS, and you know.
Matthew 1:22 Now all this (Ginomai) WAS DONE that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet.
Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to Jesus he said, If though be the Son of God, command that these stones (Ginomai) BE MADE bread.
Matthew 6:10 Thy Kingdom come, thy will (Ginomai) BE DONE in earth, as it is in Heaven.
Matthew 8:24 And behold, there (Ginomai) AROSE a great tempest in the sea, in so much that the ship was covered with the waves; but Jesus was asleep.
Matthew 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while:but when Tribulation or Persecution (Ginomai) ARISES because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Here is a perfect example of (Ginomai)
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and (Ginomai) BECOME the firstfruits of them that were dead.
The last verse I will use is Revelations 6:12.
Revelations 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the 6th Seal, and lo, there (Ginomai) WAS a great earthquake; and the Sun (Ginomai) BECAME black as sackcloth of hair, and the Moon (Ginomai) BECAME as blood.
Let me ask you a question.
Was the great earthquake taken away or did it happen?
Did the sun get taken away or did it BECOME black as sack cloth?
Did the moon get taken away or did it BECOME as blood?
The answer is that they BECAME, or DID HAPPEN.
You should be starting to see by what I have shown you so far, that Ginomai means to come into being or into existence.
It DOES NOT MEAN TO REMOVE OR TAKE AWAY.
The use of the Greek word Ginomai in the original Greek Text is completely consistent in all 672 times that it is used in the New Testament. It is used as meaning to come into being/become/ be fulfilled/ to come to pass etc. NEVER is Ginomai used to mean to remove in the Greek Text, even when reading the Old Testament in the Septuagint.
Even in the common Greek speaking language today Ginomai means to come into being; it does not mean to remove.
I looked at all the 672 uses of this Greek word Ginomai in the King James and found that they translated it correctly 671 times as meaning to come into existence/ being, fulfilment etc.
For some strange reason King James has translated the word Ginomai differently in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, the English word they used is “taken”.
Why it would be translated correctly 671 times but completely differently once I do not know, to me that is very inconsistent.
I believe King James has done a serious mistranslation.
I believe very strongly that we must go with the 671 correct uses rather than the 1 incorrect translation. If we aligned ourselves with the one incorrect translation it would not be wise.
This one out of 672 is a percentage of .148809 %, not even anywhere close to even 1 percent.
I would rather go with the 99.851191 %.
I am quite confident that it is a very poor and inconsistent English Translation in 2 Thess 2:7, it should be (comes into existence).
I found something else that was very interesting and that is the Hebrew word H1961 that is used in the Old Testament, and in the Hebrew New Testament has the same meaning as the Greek word Ginomai.
The Hebrew word is “hayah” and it means to exist, to be, to become, to happen, to come to pass, to be done. “Hayah” is used over 3,500 times in the Old Testament.
It is used in the verses below.
Gen 1:3 And God said,Let there be light: and there was light
God did not take Light away, No! God brought light into existence or into being.
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground,and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
God did not take man away, No! God brought man into existence or into being out of the ground.
I found that the Hebrew word refers to Adam (becoming) a living soul, and that when God said( let there be), it means (to come into existence).
The Hebrew word “Hayah” is consistent with the Greek word “Ginomai”.
I believe it is much wiser to go with the Consistent Greek usage.
The Verse below is the most Consistent and the most accurate and also makes more sense.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it ((comes into being)) out of the ((midst.))
If Paul wanted the word to mean removed or taken he would have used a completely different Greek word.
The Greek word that is used in Greece to mean to remove or take away is “exairo” it is G1808 in the Strongs Concordance.
exairō pronounced as ex-ah'ee-ro means to remove: - put (take) away.
Paul used this Greek word “exairo” (to be removed) in 1Corinthians 5:2
1 Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
It means to take up out of any place, to lift up from, remove; to expel or excommunicate.
I must Emphasize that Paul used Ginomai in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul did not use the word exairo.
Now for Part Two in this Study.
Let us again read 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be Ginomai out of the Mesos.
Part Two
The word “Mesos”
The Greek word “Mesos” means to be in the middle, among, before them, between, in the midst, and from among.
It is a word that is used 61 times in the New Testament.
Here are some verses where it us used.
1Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away (removed) from among you.
Matthew 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
Acts 17:33 So Paul departed from among them.
Acts 23:10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
1Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
I believe the most consistent and accurate translation is the verse below.
2Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it ((comes into being)) out of the ((midst.))
There are other translations that show it as the most accurate and consistent.
LITV translation
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it comes out of the midst.
MKJV translation
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of the midst.
ABP translation
For theG3588 G1063 mysteryG3466 [2alreadyG2235 3operatesG1754 G3588 1of lawlessness],G458 onlyG3440 the oneG3588 constrainingG2722 just nowG737 untilG2193 [2out ofG1537 3 midstG3319 1he should be].G1096
EMTV translation
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains until comes out of the midst.
There was the mystery of Lawlessness that was at work in the life of Paul and there was the Mystery of the Son of Perdition still to come. It is no different today, there is the Mystery of Lawlessness still at work and we are still waiting for the Mystery Son of Perdition to arise.
While he is not seen he remains a Mystery to be unveiled, the Truth is that when he arises out of the midst then he will be revealed in his fullness.
He will no longer be a Mystery, he will be unveiled.
With all of the above study in mind the verses in 2 Thessalonians can be read as the following.
For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, and is holding back now, until it comes into existence out of the midst. And then "the Lawless One" will be revealed, "whom" "the Lord" "will consume" "by the spirit of His mouth," and will bring to nought by the brightness of His presence.
Does that look in Harmony?
Jesus will destroy the Son of Perdition after he has been unveiled, after he has fulfilled every prophecy spoken of in regards to the working of the Son of Perdition.
With all of the above study in mind let us read all of the verses in 2 Thessalonians 2.
And, brothers, we entreat you, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, for you not to be quickly shaken in the mind, nor to be disturbed, neither through a spirit, nor through speech, nor through letter, as through us, as if the Day of Christ has come.
Do not let anyone deceive you in any way, because that Day will not come unless first comes the falling away, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
the one opposing and exalting himself over everything being called God, or object of worship, so as for him "to sit in the temple of God" as God, setting forth himself, that he is God. Dan. 11:36; Eze. 28:2
Do you not remember that I told you these things, I yet being with you?
And now you know the falling away, and the man of sin the son of perdition, must happen before Christ comes.