2 Thessalonians 1:8 kjv

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Thessalonians 1:8 nkjv

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 niv

He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 esv

in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 nlt

in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1 verses

2 Thessalonians 1 8 Meaning

2 Thessalonians 1:8 describes the nature of divine judgment that will be executed by the Lord Jesus Christ at His glorious return. It details that Christ will appear "in flaming fire," indicating an intense and all-consuming display of His holy power and righteous wrath. This manifestation will be for the purpose of "taking vengeance," which signifies the righteous infliction of just retribution and the ultimate vindication of God's perfect justice. The objects of this severe judgment are specifically identified as two interwoven groups: those who "know not God," representing a willful spiritual ignorance or rejection of the Creator, and those who "obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ," highlighting the culpable disobedience and active refusal of God's saving message found in His Son. This verse serves as both a stern warning of final accountability and a profound comfort for persecuted believers, assuring them that ultimate justice will be perfectly administered.

2 Thessalonians 1 8 Context

2 Thessalonians chapter 1 provides encouragement and comfort to a persecuted church while also correcting theological misunderstandings about the Day of the Lord. The Thessalonians were enduring severe trials and oppression, leading Paul to affirm God's justice. Verses 6-10 establish a contrast: relief and rest for the afflicted believers (v. 7a) and righteous retribution for their persecutors and all unbelievers (vv. 7b-8). This verse specifically focuses on the divine judgment aspect of Christ's second coming, ensuring the suffering believers that their afflictions would be acknowledged and rectified by God’s ultimate act of justice. It paints a vivid picture of divine reckoning, assuring that evil will not prevail eternally and that a clear distinction will be made between those who are redeemed and those who persist in rebellion.

2 Thessalonians 1 8 Word analysis

• "in flaming fire" (Greek: ἐν φλογὶ πυρός - en phlogi pyros)
  • Word Level: Phlox means "flame" and pyr means "fire." The phrase intensely emphasizes a visible, tangible, and consuming fiery presence.
  • Significance: This is a recurring biblical image of God's holiness, His majestic presence, and His judging power (e.g., Ex 19:18; Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29). It suggests an overwhelming, purifying, and destructive force that is both immediate and unescapable for the unrighteous. This imagery serves as a powerful symbol of the purity and absolute nature of divine judgment, not merely a metaphorical warmth but a fervent, active consuming power.
• "taking vengeance" (Greek: διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν - didontos ekdikēsin)
  • Word Level: Didontos is from didomi meaning "giving" or "inflicting"; ekdikēsis refers to "justice," "retribution," or "vindication."
  • Significance: This is not human revenge, which is driven by emotion and prone to excess. Instead, ekdikēsis in this context describes God’s perfect and righteous act of vindication, repaying according to exact justice (Rom 12:19). It speaks to God's moral governance, His commitment to upholding His holiness, and His act of correcting all wrongs committed against His creation and His people. It signifies the ultimate restoration of justice in the universe.
• "on them that know not God" (Greek: τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι Θεόν - tois mē eidosi Theon)
  • Word Level: Mē eidosi implies a willful or culpable ignorance, not merely a lack of information. Eidōs means "having perceived," or "knowing by experience."
  • Significance: This refers to those who refuse to acknowledge, understand, or obey God, despite general revelation through creation and conscience (Rom 1:19-21). It points to a spiritual blindness or a deliberate suppression of the truth about the Creator. Their culpability arises not from mere unawareness but from a choice to disregard divine self-disclosure.
• "and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Greek: καὶ τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ - kai tois mē hypakouousi tō euangelīō tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou)
  • Word Level: Hypakouō means "to listen under," implying obedient submission. Euangelion means "good news."
  • Significance: This clarifies that judgment also comes upon those who have specifically heard the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ but actively choose to disobey or reject its call to repentance and faith (Rom 10:16). It highlights that the Gospel is not merely an offer but a divine command that demands a response of obedience, leading to salvation or judgment.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel...": These two phrases identify the subjects of judgment comprehensively. While "knowing God" could refer to a general spiritual awareness or acknowledging His existence, and "obeying the Gospel" refers to a specific response to Christ's saving work, the two are profoundly intertwined. To know God truly is to respond to His ultimate revelation in Christ. Conversely, to reject the Gospel implies a profound failure to know God as He has revealed Himself in grace. They jointly encompass all forms of human rebellion against God, from rejecting general revelation to resisting the specific call to salvation in Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1 8 Bonus section

• The term "know not God" in biblical contexts can sometimes refer to Gentile nations outside the covenant. However, in the New Testament, particularly post-Gospel, it extends to anyone, Jew or Gentile, who suppresses the truth of God and lives in spiritual darkness.
• The coming of the Lord in "flaming fire" emphasizes the visible and unavoidable nature of Christ's return and the accompanying judgment. There will be no ambiguity or escape when Christ appears in His full power and glory to execute divine justice.
• This verse underpins the doctrine of hell as a place of active, conscious punishment. The "flaming fire" and "vengeance" are strong indicators of a literal and dreadful consequence for rejecting God and His salvation.

2 Thessalonians 1 8 Commentary

2 Thessalonians 1:8 stands as a powerful and stark declaration of God's unyielding justice at the eschatological climax. It paints a divine response to evil that is both glorious and fearsome. The imagery of "flaming fire" signifies the undeniable and purifying presence of God, where nothing unholy can stand. This fire embodies the intensity of His character – consuming, revealing, and ultimately judging. The "vengeance" is not driven by anger, as humans understand it, but is a perfect, righteous repayment, ensuring that justice prevails and the suffering of the innocent is vindicated.

The two categories of individuals subject to this judgment are critically important: "them that know not God" and "them that obey not the gospel." These categories highlight a dual accountability. Humanity is culpable for not acknowledging the Creator revealed through creation (general revelation), as well as for rejecting the specific saving message of Christ (special revelation). Those who suppress the natural knowledge of God and those who willfully refuse to obey the gospel share a common fate, because both acts constitute a rejection of God's self-revelation. The implication for believers, especially the persecuted Thessalonians, was immense comfort: God sees their suffering, He is perfectly just, and He will utterly vanquish all opposition. For the unbelieving world, it is a sober warning of a future reality. The verse reminds all that their response to God’s revelation, whether generally in creation or specifically in Christ, determines their eternal destiny.