2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1
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250px Fragments showing First Epistle to the Thessalonians 5:8-10 on Papyrus 30, from the third century.
Book	Second Epistle to the Thessalonians
Bible part	New Testament
Order in the Bible part	14
Category	Pauline epistles

2 Thessalonians 1 is the first chapter of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, Silas, and Saint Timothy.

Text

• The original text is written in Koine Greek.
• Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter are:
  • Papyrus 30 (3rd century)
  • Codex Vaticanus (AD 325-350)
  • Codex Sinaiticus (AD 330-360)
  • Codex Alexandrinus (ca. AD 400-440)
  • Codex Freerianus (ca. AD 450; extant: verses 1-3, 10-11)
  • Codex Claromontanus (ca. AD 550)
• This chapter is divided into 12 verses.

Structure

This chapter can be grouped (with cross references to other parts of the Bible):

• 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 = Greeting
• 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 = God’s Final Judgment and Glory

Verse 1

New King James Version

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Verse 2

New King James Version

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 7

New King James Version

and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

• And to you who are troubled, rest with us

This is another branch of the justice of God, in rendering to them who are afflicted and persecuted for righteousness sake, "rest"; a relaxation or rest from persecutions, for a while at least; as the churches of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had, from that persecution raised at the death of Stephen, (Acts 9:31) and as the Christians had at the destruction of Jerusalem; which though it was a day of vengeance to the unbelieving Jews, were times of refreshing to the saints, who were now delivered from their persecutors: or rather this designs a rest which remains for the saints after death in the grave, and at the coming of the Lord, and to all eternity; when they shall rest from all their toil and labour, and be freed from sin, and all disquietude by it, and from the temptations of Satan, and likewise from the persecutions of men; see (Job 3:17 ) . And this will be enjoyed in company with the apostles, and other believers; and as it is some alleviation to the sufferings and afflictions of saints now, that the same are accomplished in others, so it will enhance the heavenly glory, rest, and felicity, that they will be partners and sharers in it with the apostles of Christ Jesus, and have the same crown of glory they have; and indeed their company and conversation will be a part of their happiness.

• When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven;

then will the justice of God take place in both the above branches and instances of it, rendering tribulation to persecutors, and rest to the persecuted. Christ, ever since a cloud received him out of the sight of the apostles up to heaven, has been, as it were, hid, and has not been seen with corporeal eyes by men on earth ever since, but by a very few, as Stephen, and the Apostle Paul; he has only been seen by an eye of faith; at his second coming there will be a revelation of him, and every eye shall see him: and this revelation of him will be "from heaven": thither he was received at his ascension, and there he now is; and here he is received, and will be retained until the end of all things; and from hence the saints expect him, and from hence will he descend in person, and then he will be revealed, and appear to the view of everyone: and that

• with his mighty angels;

which will add to the glory, majesty, and solemnity of that appearance: these are called his angels, because he is the Creator of them, and the object of their worship and adoration, and he is the Lord and head of them, and they are ministering spirits to him and his; and "mighty" angels, because they excel all other creatures in strength; a remarkable instance of the might and strength of angels is in ( 2 Kings 19:35 ) . The words from the original text may be rendered, "with the angels of his power"; as they are by the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, for they will be the ministers of the power of Christ in gathering the elect from the four winds, and all nations, before Christ; and in taking out of his kingdom all that offend, and do iniquity; and in severing the righteous from the wicked; and in casting the latter into the furnace of fire. The Syriac version reads the words, "with the power of his angels".

See also

• Jesus Christ
• Paul of Tarsus
• Silvanus
• Thessalonica
• Timothy
• Other related Bible parts: 1 Thessalonians 1, Revelation 6, Revelation 19

External links

• 2 Thessalonians 1 NIV