3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the ^wrebellion comes first, and the ^xman of lawlessness¹ is revealed, the son of destruction,² 4 who opposes and ^yexalts himself against every ^zso-called god or object of worship, ^aso that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is ^balready at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.