This is a sobering question that grows out of the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the people of Thessalonica around A.D.51. Here he writes in chapter 2, verses 10-12:
“For with all the deceivableness of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved, … For this reason God sends them a strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
At first glance, the idea that God would send a delusion may seem contradictory to God’s nature–if we believe that He is only a God of love and redemption. But when viewed from a comprehensive perspective of the Bible, it reveals a consistent pattern of God’s justice, human frailty and responsibility, and an end-times warning. Paul speaks of a strong delusion that God will send upon those who have already chosen to reject the truth, meaning their destiny is sealed and justice will be done in the end..
So what is the “strong delusion,” why did Paul speak of it, how does it fit into end-times prophecy, why would God allow it, and, most importantly for believers: how can we avoid being deceived?
What Is the “Strong Delusion” the Bible Talks About?
Let’s take a step back and look at what John Gill writes in his Commentary about this chapter of Paul’s letter. He says, “In this chapter the apostle guards against a notion, as if the second coming of Christ was at hand; declares that, previous to it, there must be a great apostasy, and a revelation of antichrist; comforts the saints against fears of being included in this defection; exhorts them to stand fast in the faith, and closes this chapter with petitions for them.”
First, we need to see that Paul is prophesying about things that will happen in the end times, which we mostly read about in the Book of Revelation, penned at a later date. God had given Paul this vision long before the Apostle John wrote about such things. Paul, like all of humanity, didn’t know when these things would happen, so if he had been shown by God that these things would occur in the future, Paul likely felt compelled to warn the Thessalonians about them as soon as possible.
In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul warns them about believing false teaching. He writes, “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). First, the warning not to listen to lies, then the prophecy that speaks of those who will listen.
Again, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 speaks of the “strong delusion, though various translations use different words to describe verse 11:
ESV: “Therefore God sends them a strong delusion that they should believe what is false.”
KJV: “strong delusion”
NIV: “powerful delusion”
NASB: “a deluding influence”
NLT: “So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies.”
Regardless of translation, the core idea is that God allows or sends a very effective deception so that people believe a lie (people who already have the kind of heart and mindset to believe in an Antichrist rather than Jesus).
As to what the delusion is, the verses give us ideas:
It is part of the “deceivableness of unrighteousness” among those who perish because they “did not receive the love of the truth.” (v.10)
It involves believing “the lie.” (v.11)
It results in condemnation for those who did not believe the truth but “delighted in wickedness.” (v.12)
Thus, the delusion is less of a random belief, and more of a spiritual, "legal condition”: those who reject truth are given over to believe what is false, and the falsehood becomes their reality and destiny. Ligonier Ministries, in speaking of this topic, notes, “Knowing the truth is insufficient. Even demons know the truth (James 2:19) … but they do not love the truth … If we do not love the truth, the Lord will give us over to untruth.” Again, the “strong delusion” is a divinely allowed or sent deception reserved for those who have already turned away from the truth.
The "Strong Delusion" in End Times Prophecy
How does this concept fit into the broader picture of last-days prophecy? The passage in 2 Thessalonians is set in the context of the revealing of the “man of lawlessness” (v. 3-4), “the one who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship” (v.4). Then v. 9-10 says this man comes “with all power, signs and wonders of falsehood, and all deceit of unrighteousness among those who perish.”
So the sequence in the end times is prophesied as:
The man of lawlessness appears, empowered by Satan, performing false signs and wonders.
Many are deceived by unrighteousness because they did not receive the love of the truth.
Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion so they will believe the lie and be condemned.
This parallels other biblical images of final deception: For example, in the book of Revelation, the beast and false prophet deceive the nations (13:14), and the dragon is the “deceiver of the whole world” (Rev 12:9). The strong delusion is the divine seal on those who refuse truth, and it paves the way for final judgment.
In the end-times scenario, this delusion could appear as a global wave of deception: false messiahs, supernatural wonders, counterfeit signs, widespread apostasy, and a worldwide population of those with hardened hearts. It seems that the delusion will be so powerful that it will appear to some to mimic or counterfeit the real work of God, and that’s why many will be deceived
As those who have been saved by faith in Jesus, we are called not just to anticipate the return of Christ, but to stay awake, love the truth, and hold fast to the gospel, so we are not among those who are given over to delusion.
Why Would God Allow People to Be Deceived?
This is the heart of the matter. Doesn’t it seem counter-intuitive that our Heavenly Father, who is the God of all truth, would send delusion? Not just allow it, but to purposely send a lie for people to believe? The Bible offers various explanations for this:
Human responsibility and active rejection of truth
Verse 10 says those who perish did so because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. It is not that they were ignorant; the love of the truth was refused. Once a person turns their back on truth, they make themselves vulnerable to error.
Desiring God notes, “The passage only traces unbelief back to the resistance of the human heart to welcome a love for the truth … They didn’t want truth in their head. They didn’t want love for truth in their heart.”
That points to moral responsibility—God doesn’t randomly trap people; rather, people trap themselves by rejecting truth.
God’s justice and judgment
The strong delusion serves as a kind of sealed fate. The verse says “that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” When a person delights in unrighteousness and repeatedly chooses darkness over light, then God gives them what they want: deception and a lie become their preference. This is similar to Romans 1:24-28 where God gives people over to their debased minds when they refuse to consider Him in their knowledge.
3. The confirmation of God’s truth
In the larger end-times story, the strong delusion helps confirm the gospel and separate those who love truth from those who don’t. When deception becomes widespread, the difference between those who hold on to the truth in faith and those who do not becomes obvious. In effect, the delusion exposes the condition of the human heart and gives a final offer of mercy before judgment.
God’s sovereignty and mystery
While we don’t pretend to understand every dimension of how God works, the consistent pattern in Scripture is: when the heart hardens, God allows or sends deception (see Isaiah 66:4; Job 34:31-33). The “strong delusion” is thus part of divine justice. We see this truth: God is gracious, yet righteous. He offers salvation to all (2 Peter 3:9), but those who refuse truth leave themselves open to judgment and eternal separation from God.
This encourages us to be vigilant in our faith. It reminds us that the gospel is not simply an intellectual exercise, but a love for the truth as our hearts are transformed by Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. When the truth is refused, the door to delusion is opened.
How to Avoid End-Times Deception and Delusion
For believers today, there are concrete steps we can take to remain rooted and grounded so we are not among those given over to deception.
Cultivate our love for the truth
Paul stresses that it is not enough to hear truth; one must receive the love of the truth. (2 Thess 2:10). That means: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (The Way, the Truth, and the Life) through His sacrifice for our sins (John 14:6). If we commit daily to Bible study, prayer, meditation, and application of biblical principles in our daily lives, the less we will be swayed by falsehood.
Stay intimately connected with Christ and the Church
The end-times warnings often assume a community of believers anchored in the gospel. Therefore, we need to stay in fellowship, attend a gospel-preaching church, engage in accountability and discipleship. The apostle warns the Thessalonian church so they will “not be soon shaken in mind or be troubled.” A grounded believer is less likely to drift into deception.
Test all things by Scripture
As the Antichrist and false prophets will bring false signs and wonders, believers must learn to test everything against God’s Word. Scripture never contradicts itself. As Revelation 2:2 says, testing those who say they are apostles and are not. We must be discerning, which starts with knowing the fundamentals of the gospel, the person of Jesus, His finished work on the cross, his resurrection and ascension into glory. Many will fall away simply because they didn’t hold on to those essentials.
4. Live in the hope of Christ’s return
Living in hope of Jesus’ return at the end of the age helps us maintain the right perspective: we are not of this world, our home is with Jesus, and that’s why we look forward to His return.
In the end times, the strong delusion may sweep many away—but as believers, we shouldn’t be among them (if we are still on earth at the time). If we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior, we are sealed for eternity–loved, redeemed, and safe for all time.
Image created using AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
This article is part of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more about the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that explain Biblical truths. You do not need to fear or worry about the future!
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