2 Thessalonians 1:8 (ASV)

Passage

rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:

Nearby Context

2 Thessalonians 1:6 if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you,

2 Thessalonians 1:7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire,

2 Thessalonians 1:8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:

2 Thessalonians 1:9 who shall suffer punishment, [even] eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

2 Thessalonians 1:10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "rendering", "vengeance", "obey", "gospel", "lord", and "jesus". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "rendering" and "vengeance", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "and to you that are afflicted rest..." into verse 9's "who shall suffer punishment even eternal destruction...", so "rendering" and "vengeance" belong inside that flow. In 2 Thessalonians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "rendering" and "vengeance" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.