2 Thessalonians 1
CHAPTER 1
Suffering has an end- at the return of Christ
Paul and 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 the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Brothers, we are obligated to thank God always for you, as is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure. 5 These are proof that God’s judgment is righteous, and you are enduring them to the end you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.
6 It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who afflict you; 7 and to give relief to those who are afflicted (and to us too), when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, 8 rendering vengeance to them that do not know God and to them that do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that have believed in that day (because our testimony to you was believed).
11 To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling and fulfil every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power. 12 To the end that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentary
1:5 The fact we experience tribulation is a sure token that we are in fact going to be accepted into God’s Kingdom; for through such tribulation we have to enter the Kingdom (Acts 14:22).
1:9 Eternal destruction- The punishment for sin is death (Rom. 6:23), not eternal conscious existence in torture. Their death will be permanent, and in this sense their destruction will be eternal.
1:11 If we are desiring good and right things, then God will powerfully fulfil those desires.
