But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved of God, for that God hath chosen you firstfruits unto salvation, in sanctification of the spirit, and faith of the truth:

“For in the last days false prophets shall be multiplied, and such as corrupt the word; and the sheep shall be changed into wolves, and love into hatred: for through the abounding of iniquity the love of many shall wax cold. For men shall hate, and persecute, and betray one another. And then shall appear the deceiver of the world, the enemy of the truth, the prince of lies, [2 Thessalonians 2:3-12] whom the Lord Jesus "shall destroy with the spirit of His mouth, who takes away the wicked with His lips; and many shall be offended at Him. But they that endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven;" [Isaiah 11:4; Matthew 24:1-51] and afterwards shall be the voice of a trumpet by the archangel; and in that interval shall be the revival of those that were asleep. And then shall the Lord come, and all His saints with Him, with a great concussion above the clouds, with the angels of His power, [Matthew 16:27] in the throne of His kingdom, to condemn the devil, the deceiver of the world, and to render to every one according to his deeds. "Then shall the wicked go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous shall go into life eternal," [Matthew 25:46] to inherit those things "which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such things as God has prepared for them that love Him;" [1 Corinthians 2:9] and they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God, which is in Christ Jesus.”

“Who, then, is the Lord Who makes us to increase and abound before God and our Father at the coming of the Lord Jesus? He has named the Father and has named the Son; Whom, then, has he joined with the Father and the Son except the Spirit? Who is the Lord Who establishes our hearts in holiness. For holiness is a grace of the Spirit, as, too, is said farther on: "In holiness of the Spirit and belief of the truth."”

“"For because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; for this cause God will send them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." "That they might be judged." He does not say, that they might be punished; for even before this they were about to be punished; but "that they might be condemned," that is, at the dreadful Seat of Judgment, in order that they might be without excuse. "Who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." He calls Christ, "the Love of the Truth." "For because," says he, "they received not the love of the truth," For He was both, and came for the sake of both, both as loving men, and on behalf of things that were true. "But had pleasure," he says, "in unrighteousness." For he came to the destruction of men and to injure them. For what will he not then work? He will change and confound all things, both by his commandments, and by the fear of him. He will be terrible in every way, from his power, from his cruelty, from his unlawful commandments. But fear not. "In those that perish" he will have his strength. For Elijah too will then come to give confidence to the faithful, and this Christ says; "Elijah cometh, and shall restore all things." Therefore it is said, "In the spirit and power of Elijah." For he neither wrought signs nor wonders, as Elijah did. For "John," it is said, "did no miracle, but all things which John spake of this Man were true." How then was it "in the spirit and power of Elijah"? That is, he will take upon him the same ministry. As the one was the forerunner of His first Coming, so will the other be of His second and glorious Coming, and for this he is reserved. Let us not therefore fear. He has calmed the minds of the hearers. He causes them no longer to think present things dreadful but worthy of thankfulness.”

“After he has shown in whom the deception of Antichrist takes place, namely in those foreknown to damnation, here he assigns the cause of what has been said. And first he shows the cause of this, and how they will be deceived; second, how the faithful are freed from him, at the words but we. Again, first he sets down their fault alone; second, the punishment together with the fault; third, the punishment alone. And this is the process of sin: for first, on account of the demerit of the first sin, one is deserted by grace, and falls into another sin, and afterward is punished eternally. He says, therefore, that the cause why they will be deceived is that they were unwilling to receive the truth of charity, that is, the truth of the Gospel. John 8:46: if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Job 24:13: they were rebels against the light. And he says the charity of truth, because unless faith be formed by charity, it is nothing. 1 Cor 13:2: if I should have faith, so as to move mountains, but should not have charity, I am nothing, et cetera. Gal, last chapter: in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creature. And he adds the benefit of the truth, saying that they might be saved. Rom 5:1: being justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord, et cetera. But their seduction is both fault and punishment; hence he says he will send, that is, he will permit to come upon them, the working of error. Is 19:14: the Lord has mingled in the midst of her a spirit of dizziness. 3 Kings, last chapter: I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And therefore he says that they may believe the lie, that is, the false doctrine of Antichrist. Rom 2: for which reason God handed them over to a reprobate sense, that they might do those things which are not fitting. But the punishment alone is eternal damnation; hence he adds that they may be judged, namely by the judgment of damnation. John 5:29: and those who have done evil things shall come forth unto the resurrection of judgment, et cetera. All who have not believed the truth. John 3:18: he who does not believe is already judged. Then when he says but we, he shows why the faithful of Christ are freed. And first he gives thanks for them; second he calls to mind the divine benefits by which they are freed from such things. He says, therefore, thus: they will be deceived, but we ought to give thanks. Rom 1:8: first indeed I give thanks to my God always for you through our Lord, et cetera. Now he sets down a twofold benefit of God, namely the election of God, which is eternal, and the calling, which is temporal, at the words in which he also called you. He says, therefore, that (that is, because) he chose us, namely the apostles, and you, namely the faithful. Eph 1:4: he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, et cetera. John 15:16: you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. Concerning the election he touches on three things, namely the order of the elect, the end of the election, and the means of attaining the end. All the saints from the beginning of the world are elect. Deut 33:3: he loved the peoples, all the saints are in his hand. But the apostles are in a special way the firstfruits. Rom 8:23: we ourselves having the firstfruits of the spirit, et cetera. And therefore he says firstfruits of faith. Again, the end of the election is eternal salvation; and therefore he says unto salvation. 1 Tim 2:4: he wills all men to be saved, et cetera. Now this comes about, first, on God's part, through sanctifying grace; hence he says in sanctification of the spirit; second, on our part, there is the consent of free will through faith; therefore he adds and in the faith of truth. Then when he says in which he also called you, et cetera, he sets down the second benefit, which is the temporal calling of Christ, which follows upon the election. Rom 8:30: whom he called, these he also justified, et cetera. And concerning this calling, note the parable, Lk 14:16, of him who made a great supper, et cetera. And he adds through our Gospel, that is, preached by me. But to what supper? Unto the acquiring of glory, that is, that we may acquire the glory of Christ. Then when he says therefore, et cetera, he admonishes them to hold to the truth, and first he sets down the admonition; second the prayer, at the words but may the Lord himself, et cetera. And he does the first because our work depends on free will; but the second because it needs the help of grace. And first he admonishes them to stand, when he says stand in the truth. Gal 5:1: stand, and do not be held again by the yoke of servitude. Second, he teaches the manner of standing, at the words and hold the traditions, that is, the teachings which are handed down by our elders. For teachings which are handed down by lesser persons are sometimes not to be kept, namely when they are contrary to the teachings of the faith. Matt 15:6: you have made void the commandment of God on account of your tradition. But those things are to be kept which are ordered to the commandments of God. Which you have learned. Acts 16:4: Paul taught that they should hold the traditions and teachings which had been decreed by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem, et cetera. And they set forth these traditions in two ways: some by words, hence he says by word; some in writings, therefore he adds or by letter. Whence it is clear that many things in the Church, not written, were taught by the apostles, and therefore are to be kept. For many things, according to the judgment of the apostles, it was better that they be kept hidden, as Dionysius says. Hence the Apostle in 1 Cor 10 says the rest I will set in order when I come. Then he sets down the prayer, at the words but our Lord Jesus Christ himself, et cetera; as if to say: thus I admonish, but it avails nothing unless the divine help be present. And therefore he first sets down a twofold benefit of God. The first is his love toward us, by which he bestows other things upon us; therefore he says he has loved us. The second is spiritual consolation, at the words and gave eternal consolation. 2 Cor 1:4: who consoles us in all our tribulation. Is 40:1: be comforted, be comforted, my people, says the Lord your God, et cetera. And he says eternal consolation, namely against all evils imminent and to come. And therefore we await a good hope, that is, the infallibility of eternal goods. 1 Pet 1:3: who according to his great mercy has regenerated us unto a living hope. And this in grace, namely through which we hope to attain eternal life. Rom 6:23: the grace of God is eternal life. But he asks on their behalf for exhortation, which is an admonition leading the mind to willing. And this a man can do outwardly; but it would not be effective unless the spirit of God were within. Hence he says may he exhort your hearts, that is, may he incite them. Hos 2:14: I will lead her into solitude, and speak to her heart. Likewise he asks for confirmation, hence he says and confirm. Ps 67:29: confirm this, O God, which you have worked in us. As if to say: may he exhort through grace, that we may will, and confirm, that we may will effectively. And this in every good work and word. Work precedes word, because Jesus began to do and to teach, Acts 1:1.”

“That they all might be damned - Ἱνα κριθωσι· So that they may all be condemned who believed not the truth when it was proclaimed to them; but took pleasure in unrighteousness, preferring that to the way of holiness. Their condemnation was the effect of their refusal to believe the truth; and they refused to believe it because they loved their sins. For a farther and more pointed illustration of the preceding verses, see the conclusion of this chapter (note).”