2 Thessalonians 1:8
in 2 Thessalonians 1in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:
KJV
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
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This verse in 2 Thessalonians 1
Commentary
5 notes on this verseTo Him, therefore, does it appertain to punish such as know not God, for none ought to be ignorant of Him. In the (apostle's) phrase, "From the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power," he uses the words of Isaiah who for the express reason makes the self-same Lord "arise to shake terribly the earth.
This site's exposition
In flaming fire taking vengeance
on 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
The revelation arrives in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel, ignorance of God and disobedience to the gospel named as one offense, since the gospel is now the means by which God is known. The sentence, everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, is read by the church's main line as conscious, unending separation from God, and by a minority of readers, including some who hold conditional immortality, as destruction meaning the end of being; the exposition keeps the main line at full strength and names the minority reading with its holders.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Taking vengeance - Does God barely permit this, or (as "the Lord" once "rained brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven," Gen. xix, 24) does a fiery stream go forth from him forever? Who know not God - (The root of all wickedness and misery) who remain in heathen ignorance. And who obey not - This refers chiefly to the Jews, who had heard the gospel.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
In flaming fire - Εν φλογι πυρος· In thunder and lightning, taking vengeance - inflicting just punishment on them that know not God - the heathen who do not worship the true God, and will not acknowledge him, but worship idols; and on them that obey not the Gospel - the Jews, particularly who have rejected the Gospel, and persecuted Christ and his messengers; and all nominal Christians who, though they believe the Gospel as a revelation from God, yet do not obey it as a rule of life.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
In flaming fire--Greek, "In flame of fire"; or, as other oldest manuscripts read, "in fire of flame." This flame of fire accompanied His manifestation in the bush (Ex 3:2); also His giving of the law at Sinai (Ex 19:18).
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| διδόντος | didontos | {8} inflicting | G1325 → | 412 times |
| ἐκδίκησιν | ekdikesin | vengeance | G1557 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | on those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| εἰδόσιν | eidosin | knowing | ||
| θεὸν | theon | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοῖς | tois | on those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ὑπακούουσιν | hupakouousin | obeying | G5219 → | |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εὐαγγελίῳ | euangelio | gospel | G2098 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
διδόντος{8} inflicting
didontosG1325 →412 times
ἐκδίκησινvengeance
ekdikesinG1557 →
τοῖςon those
toisG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
εἰδόσινknowing
eidosin
θεὸνGod
theonG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοῖςon those
toisG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ὑπακούουσινobeying
hupakouousinG5219 →
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
εὐαγγελίῳgospel
euangelioG2098 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
κυρίουLord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 10:30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:35–36
Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- Nahum 1:2
The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.
- Psalms 50:4
He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that He may judge His people:
- Deuteronomy 32:35–36
Through
1 Peter 4:17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
it leads to
- Jeremiah 25:29
For behold, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My Name, so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword…
- Romans 2:9
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;
- Ezekiel 9:6
Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders…
- Jeremiah 25:29
Through
2 Peter 3:7And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid…
- 2 Peter 3:10
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Judgment35 verses
On this page
About 2 Thessalonians

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V.
