2 Thessalonians 1

General context

The second letter opens with the same three senders, Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus, addressed again to the church of the Thessalonians, with grace and peace. The writers say they are bound to thank God always because the readers' faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one toward each other abounds, and that they themselves glory in the readers in the churches of God for their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations. That endurance is called a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, and it is tied to being counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which the readers suffer. The argument then states an exchange: it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to those who trouble them, and to give rest to the troubled along with the writers, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel, who are punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. That same appearing is described as the moment when he is glorified in his saints and admired in all them that believe. The chapter ends in prayer that God count them worthy of this calling and fulfil the work of faith with power, so that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in them, and they in him.

Cited passages: 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:12

2 Thessalonians 1 (KJV)

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The senders and the addressee match the first letter, with the wording of the address slightly changed, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The chapter establishes that pressure on the readers is present and continuing, since the writers speak of persecutions and tribulations that ye endure, and that the writers speak about them elsewhere, in the churches of God. The persecutors are identified only by what they do, them that trouble you, and by what they lack, them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel; no authority, city or person is named. The letter states the punishment plainly as everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and gives no time for it beyond in that day. Nothing here says where the writers are, how the letter travelled, or how much time has passed since the first letter.

Cited passages: 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 1:10

Literary context

The letter begins as the first one did, with thanksgiving, but the thanksgiving turns toward judgment instead of toward memories of the visit. Its centre is a reversal stated as fairness: tribulation to them that trouble you, and rest to the troubled, with the writers included in the rest. From the third verse to the tenth the argument runs as one connected sentence, each clause hung on the last by Which, Seeing, and When, so that thanks, suffering, judgment and glory are not separated. Two descriptions of the same appearing sit side by side, one in flaming fire taking vengeance, the other to be glorified in his saints. The chapter closes by turning the argument back into prayer for the readers.

Cited passages: 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Key moments

1. Faith growing exceedingly (2 Thessalonians 1:3). The writers thank God for growth in faith and love among the readers.
2. Glorying in the churches (2 Thessalonians 1:4). The writers say they speak of the readers' endurance elsewhere.
3. A token of judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:5). Their suffering is called a sign of God's righteous judgment.
4. Rest and recompense (2 Thessalonians 1:6). Trouble is promised to the troublers and rest to the troubled.
5. Revealed from heaven (2 Thessalonians 1:7). The Lord Jesus is said to be revealed with his mighty angels.
6. Glorified in his saints (2 Thessalonians 1:10). The same coming is described as admiration among believers.

For reflection

The writers call the readers' endurance a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God. What does it mean to read your own hardship as evidence of anything?

People in this chapter

• Jesus Christ
• Paul
• Silas
• Timothy