For the hidden power of lawlessness ¹  is already at work. However, the one who holds him back ²  will do so until he is taken out of the way,

biblegateway 2Th 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.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way,

For the mystery of lawlessness is at work already; only the one who now restrains [will do so] until he is out of the way,

biblegateway 2Th 2:7

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

bibleoremus 2Th 2:7

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed.

for already the secret forces of wickedness are at work, secret only for the present until the restraining hand is removed from the scene.

biblegateway 2Th 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.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

biblegateway 2Th 2:7

For the hidden power of lawlessness ¹  is already at work. However, the one who holds him back ²  will do so until he is taken out of the way,

¹ tn Grk “the mystery of lawlessness.” In Paul “mystery” often means “revealed truth, something formerly hidden but now made widely known,” but that does not make sense with the verb of this clause (“to be at work, to be active”).

² tn Grk “the one who restrains.” This gives a puzzling contrast to the impersonal phrase in v. 6 (“the thing that restrains”). The restraint can be spoken of as a force or as a person. Some have taken this to mean the Roman Empire in particular or human government in general, since these are forces that can also be seen embodied in a person, the emperor or governing head. But apocalyptic texts like Revelation and Daniel portray human government of the end times as under Satanic control, not holding back his influence. Also the power to hold back Satanic forces can only come from God. So others understand this restraint to be some force from God: the preaching of the gospel or the working of the Holy Spirit through God’s people.