Second Epistle to the Thessalonians

What it is

This letter is addressed as being from Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church at Thessalonica. It is traditionally dated to around AD 50–52, shortly after the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, though some scholars argue it was written later by someone writing in Paul's name.

Why it matters

Scholars are closely divided on whether Paul actually wrote this letter, making it a useful case study in how historians test authorship using style, structure, and theology rather than relying only on a name attached to a text. Whoever wrote it, the letter discusses the end times and was accepted early on by church figures such as Irenaeus, Ignatius, Justin, and Polycarp, showing how quickly it became treated as authoritative.

Look closer

• What kinds of evidence do scholars use to decide whether Paul really wrote a letter like this one?
• Why might early Christians have been willing to write letters in the name of someone like Paul?
• How does not knowing the true author change how we should read this text?