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2 Thessalonians 1 · a question people ask

"eternal destruction from the face of the Lord" (1:9). What does the letter say this means?

In the text

Here are the letter's own words: "and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire," (1:7) "punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus," (1:8) "who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might," (1:9) "when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed." (1:10). The letter says no more of it than these words, and these notes add nothing to them.

The verses

“and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, punishing those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus, who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired among all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1: Your faith grows exceedingly

2 Thessalonians 1 says "your faith grows exceedingly" (1:3): behind grows exceedingly is a verb the New Testament has only here, which Strong's gives as "to increase above ordinary degree". And counted worthy (1:5) and count you worthy (1:11) are two different Greek verbs.

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions