2 Thessalonians 1:8 (LSB)

Passage

executing vengeance on those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

Nearby Context

2 Thessalonians 1:6 Since it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

2 Thessalonians 1:7 and to give rest to you who are afflicted and to us as well at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,

2 Thessalonians 1:8 executing vengeance on those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might,

2 Thessalonians 1:10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our witness to you was believed.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "executing", "vengeance", "obey", "gospel", "lord", and "jesus". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "executing" 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 give rest to you who..." into verse 9's "These will pay the penalty of eternal...", so "executing" 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 "executing" and "vengeance" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.