8 To give punishment to those who have no knowledge of God, and to those who do not give ear to the good news of our Lord Jesus:
But only a great fear of being judged, and of the fire of wrath which will be the destruction of the haters of God.
But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:
Let your wrath be on the nations who have no knowledge of you, and on the kingdoms who have not made prayer to your name.
But the present heaven and the present earth have been kept for destruction by fire, which is waiting for them on the day of the judging and destruction of evil men.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; and in that day the heavens will be rolled up with a great noise, and the substance of the earth will be changed by violent heat, and the world and everything in it will be burned up. Seeing then that all these things are coming to such an end, what sort of persons is it right for you to be, in all holy behaviour and righteousness, Looking for and truly desiring the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will come to an end through fire, and the substance of the earth will be changed by the great heat?
And death and Hell were put into the sea of fire. This is the second death, even the sea of fire. And if anyone's name was not in the book of life, he went down into the sea of fire.
Are you not conscious that you are the servants of him to whom you give yourselves to do his desire? if to sin, the end being death, or if to do the desire of God, the end being righteousness.
But they have not all given ear to the good news. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has had faith in our word?
And I will keep myself from talking of anything but those things which Christ has done by me to put the Gentiles under his rule in word and in act,
Be awake to righteousness and keep yourselves from sin; for some have no knowledge of God: I say this to put you to shame.
Putting an end to reasonings, and every high thing which is lifted up against the knowledge of God, and causing every thought to come under the authority of Christ;
Not in the passion of evil desires, like the Gentiles, who have no knowledge of God;
What will come on us, if we do not give our minds to such a great salvation? a salvation of which our fathers first had knowledge through the words of the Lord, and which was made certain to us by those to whom his words came;
For we have had experience of him who says, Punishment is mine, I will give reward. And again, The Lord will be judge of his people.
By faith Abraham did as God said when he was ordered to go out into a place which was to be given to him as a heritage, and went out without knowledge of where he was going.
As Sarah was ruled by Abraham, naming him lord; whose children you are if you do well, and are not put in fear by any danger.
And they gave a great cry, saying, How long will it be, O Ruler, holy and true, before you take your place as judge and give punishment for our blood to those on the earth?
But those who are full of fear and without faith, the unclean and takers of life, those who do the sins of the flesh, and those who make use of evil powers or who give worship to images, and all those who are false, will have their part in the sea of ever-burning fire which is the second death.
If you will give ear to my word and do it, the good things of the land will be yours;
And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, to whose voice I am to give ear and let Israel go? I have no knowledge of the Lord and I will not let Israel go.
And you came near, waiting at the foot of the mountain; and flames of fire went up from the mountain to the heart of heaven, with dark clouds, and all was black as night.
Punishment is mine and reward, at the time of the slipping of their feet: for the day of their downfall is near, sudden will be their fate.
If I make sharp my shining sword, and my hand is outstretched for judging, I will give punishment to those who are against me, and their right reward to my haters. I will make my arrows red with blood, my sword will be feasting on flesh, with the blood of the dead and the prisoners, of the long-haired heads of my haters.
They will be ruled by you with a rod of iron; they will be broken like a potter's vessel. So now be wise, you kings: take his teaching, you judges of the earth. Give worship to the Lord with fear, kissing his feet and giving him honour, For fear that he may be angry, causing destruction to come on you, because he is quickly moved to wrath. Happy are all those who put their faith in him.
And those who have knowledge of your name will put their faith in you; because you, Lord, have ever given your help to those who were waiting for you.
Your hand will make a search for all your haters; your right hand will be hard on all those who are against you. You will make them like a flaming oven before you; the Lord in his wrath will put an end to them, and they will be burned up in the fire.
From Zion, most beautiful of places, God has sent out his light. Our God will come, and will not keep quiet; with fire burning before him, and storm-winds round him. His voice will go out to the heavens and to the earth, for the judging of his people: Let my saints come together to me; those who have made an agreement with me by offerings. And let the heavens make clear his righteousness; for God himself is the judge. (Selah.)
When its branches are dry they will be broken off; the women will come and put fire to them: for it is a foolish people; for this cause he who made them will have no mercy on them, and he whose work they are will not have pity on them.
To give knowledge that the year of the Lord's good pleasure has come, and the day of punishment from our God; to give comfort to all who are sad;
For the day of punishment is in my heart, and the year for the payment of the price for my people has come. And I saw that there was no helper, and I was wondering that no one gave them support: so my arm did the work of salvation, and my wrath was my support. And in my passion the peoples were crushed under my feet, and broken in my wrath, and I put down their strength to the earth.
There is wrong on wrong, deceit on deceit; they have given up the knowledge of me, says the Lord.
A stream of fire was flowing and coming out from before him: a thousand thousands were his servants, and ten thousand times ten thousand were in their places before him: the judge was seated and the books were open.
And these will go away into eternal punishment; but the upright into eternal life.
And this is the test by which men are judged: the light has come into the world and men have more love for the dark than for the light, because their acts are evil.
And the word of God was increasing in power; and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem became very great, and a great number of priests were in agreement with the faith.
Through whom grace has been given to us, sending us out to make disciples to the faith among all nations, for his name:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1
Commentary on 2 Thessalonians 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 1
After the introduction (v. 1, 2) the apostle begins this epistle with an account of his high esteem for these Thessalonians (v. 3, 4). He then comforts them under their afflictions and persecutions (v. 5-10) and tells them what his prayers were to God for them (v. 11, 12).
2Th 1:1-4
Here we have,
2Th 1:5-10
Having mentioned their persecutions and tribulations, which they endured principally for the cause of Christ, the apostle proceeds to offer several things for their comfort under them; as,
2Th 1:11-12
In these verses the apostle again tells the Thessalonians of his earnest and constant prayer for them. He could not be present with them, yet he had a constant remembrance of them; they were much upon his thoughts; he wished them well, and could not express his good-will and good wishes to them better than in earnest constant prayer to God for them: Wherefore also we pray, etc. Note, The believing thoughts and expectation of the second coming of Christ should put us upon prayer to God for ourselves and others. We should watch and pray, so our Saviour directs his disciples (Lu. 21:36), Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man. Observe,