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2 Thessalonians 1
The Message
2 Thessalonians 1
The Message
1 1-2 I, Paul, together with Silas and Timothy, greet the church of the Thessalonian Christians in the name of God our Father and our Master, Jesus Christ. Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you’re to be.
Justice Is on the Way
3-4 You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it’s a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it’s only right that we give thanks. We’re so proud of you; you’re so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have broadsided you. We tell everyone we meet in the churches all about you.
5-10 All this trouble is a clear sign that God has decided to make you fit for the kingdom. You’re suffering now, but justice is on the way. When the Master Jesus appears out of heaven in a blaze of fire with his strong angels, he’ll even up the score by settling accounts with those who gave you such a bad time. His coming will be the break we’ve been waiting for. Those who refuse to know God and refuse to obey the Message will pay for what they’ve done. Eternal exile from the presence of the Master and his splendid power is their sentence. But on that very same day when he comes, he will be exalted by his followers and celebrated by all who believe—and all because you believed what we told you.
11-12 Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely.
2 Thessalonians 1
New American Standard Bible
2 Thessalonians 1
New American Standard Bible
Giving Thanks for Faith and Perseverance
1 (A)Paul, (B)Silvanus, and (C)Timothy,
To the (D)church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 (E)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We ought always (F)to give thanks to God for you, (G)brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the (H)love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. 4 As a result, we ourselves (I)speak proudly of you among (J)the churches of God for your [a]perseverance and faith [b](K)in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is [c]a (L)plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be (M)considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering. 6 [d]For after all (N)it is only right [e]for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, [f](O)when the Lord Jesus will be revealed (P)from heaven (Q)with [g]His mighty angels 8 (R)in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who (S)do not know God, and to those who (T)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These people will pay the penalty of (U)eternal destruction, (V)away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be (W)glorified among His [h]saints on that (X)day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our (Y)testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end also we (Z)pray for you always, that our God will (AA)consider you worthy of your (AB)calling, and fulfill every desire for (AC)goodness and the (AD)work of faith with power, 12 so that the (AE)name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 1:4 Or steadfastness
- 2 Thessalonians 1:4 Or during all
- 2 Thessalonians 1:5 Or proof of
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6 Lit If indeed
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6 Or in the sight of
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7 Lit at the revelation of the Lord Jesus
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7 Lit the angels of His power
- 2 Thessalonians 1:10 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
2 Thessalonians 1
Amplified Bible
2 Thessalonians 1
Amplified Bible
Thanksgiving for Faith and Perseverance
1 Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We ought always and indeed are morally obligated [as those in debt] to give thanks to God for you, [a]brothers and sisters, as is fitting, because your faith is growing ever greater, and the [unselfish] [b]love of each one of you toward one another is continually increasing. 4 Therefore, we speak of you with pride among the churches of God for your steadfastness [your unflinching endurance, and patience] and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecution and [crushing] distress which you endure. 5 This is a positive proof of the righteous judgment of God [a sign of His fair verdict], so that you will be considered worthy of His kingdom, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with distress those who distress you, 7 and to give relief to you who are so distressed and to us as well when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in a flame of fire, 8 dealing out [full and complete] vengeance to those who do not [seek to] know God and to those who ignore and refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus [by choosing not to respond to Him]. 9 These people will pay the penalty and endure the punishment of [c]everlasting destruction, banished from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day [that is, glorified through the changed lives of those who have accepted Him as Savior and have been set apart for His purpose], and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed and trusted [and confirmed in your lives]. 11 With this in view, we constantly pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of your calling [to faith] and with [His] power fulfill every desire for goodness, and complete [your] every work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you [by what you do], and you in Him, according to the [precious] grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Lit brethren, includes all born-again believers.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Not annihilation, but the loss of all meaningful things.
2 Thessalonians 1
English Standard Version
2 Thessalonians 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 (A)Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
3 (B)We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers,[a] as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore (C)we ourselves boast about you (D)in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith (E)in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
The Judgment at Christ's Coming
5 This is (F)evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be (G)considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it (H)just (I)to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant (J)relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when (K)the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven (L)with his mighty angels 8 (M)in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those (N)who do not know God and on those who (O)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of (P)eternal destruction, (Q)away from[b] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 (R)when he comes on (S)that day (T)to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our (U)testimony to you (V)was believed. 11 To this end we (W)always pray for you, that our God may (X)make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every (Y)work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus (Z)may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Or destruction that comes from
2 Thessalonians 1
New International Version
2 Thessalonians 1
New International Version
1 Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)
To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(D)
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 We ought always to thank God for you,(E) brothers and sisters,[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.(F) 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast(G) about your perseverance and faith(H) in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.(I)
5 All this is evidence(J) that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy(K) of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just:(L) He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you(M) 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven(N) in blazing fire(O) with his powerful angels.(P) 8 He will punish(Q) those who do not know God(R) and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.(S) 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction(T) and shut out from the presence of the Lord(U) and from the glory of his might(V) 10 on the day(W) he comes to be glorified(X) in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.(Y)
11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you,(Z) that our God may make you worthy(AA) of his calling,(AB) and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness(AC) and your every deed prompted by faith.(AD) 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,(AE) and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.[c]
Footnotes
- 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 13, 15; 3:1, 6, 13.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.