2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians · Chapter 1

2 Thessalonians 1:6

1Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:2Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;4So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:5Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:6Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.11Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:12That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
6Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,if so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you,

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

It is right for God to pay back trouble to those who trouble his people. God's justice means the persecutors will not escape. Verse 7 gives the other half: rest for the afflicted. 2 Thessalonians 1:62 Thessalonians 1:7

SpeakingPaul, writing with Silvanus and Timotheus. Paul signs the letter in his own hand (3:17). 2 Thessalonians overview

ToThe church of the Thessalonians, believers in Thessalonica whom Paul had taught in person. 2 Thessalonians overview

Also involvedThose who were troubling the Thessalonian believers, and the believers themselves. 2 Thessalonians 1:62 Thessalonians overview

Paul explains why God's judgment is righteous (1:5). He will repay both sides justly (1:6-7). 2 Thessalonians 1:52 Thessalonians 1:62 Thessalonians 1:7

The letter went to Thessalonica, a city of Macedonia in northern Greece. The letter does not say where it was written; the traditional view is Corinth. 2 Thessalonians overview

The eventsThe repayment comes when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven (1:7). 2 Thessalonians 1:62 Thessalonians 1:7

WrittenTraditional: about AD 50-51, from Corinth, a few months after 1 Thessalonians. Scholarly: some hold a follower wrote it in Paul's name later in the first century; many others accept that Paul wrote it soon after 1 Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians overview

HerePaul comforts the persecuted church: "it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you." 2 Thessalonians 1:62 Thessalonians overview

In the whole of ScriptureGod says, "I will render vengeance to mine enemies" (Deuteronomy 32:41), and "he will avenge the blood of his servants" (Deuteronomy 32:43). "He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons" (Colossians 3:25). "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye" (Zechariah 2:8). Deuteronomy 32:41Deuteronomy 32:43Colossians 3:25Zechariah 2:8

For readersGod sees injustice done to his people. Believers can leave repayment to him. 2 Thessalonians 1:6Colossians 3:25

  • righteousδίκαιος
    Greek · dikaios · G1342

    The word means just, righteous. Strong's G1342

  • recompenseἀνταποδίδωμι
    Greek · antapodidōmi · G0467

    The word means to repay, to give back in return. The lexicon lists Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30 among its uses. Strong's G0467

  • troubleθλίβω
    Greek · thlibō · G2346

    The word means to press on, to afflict. Strong's G2346

  • tribulationθλῖψις
    Greek · thlipsis · G2347

    The word means pressure, affliction. Strong's G2347

Takeaway

God is just and will repay with trouble those who trouble his people. 2 Thessalonians 1:6Deuteronomy 32:43

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
if indeedεἴπερeiperG1487G
if

εἰ (ei) εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; …

righteous [it is]δίκαιονdikaionG1342
just

δίκαιος (dikaios) δίκαιος, -α, -ον (δίκη), [in LXX chiefly for צַדִּיק (for rendering of צַדִּיק in sense of correct, see Deiss., BS, 115 f.); sometimes for נָקִי as Pro.1:11, al. ;] in early Gk. writers (a) of persons, observant of δίκη, custom, rule, right, righteous in performing duties to gods and men ; (b) of things, righteous, in accordance with right. In NT 1. righteous, chiefly in the broad sense, as above, of the person or thing corresponding to the Divine standard of right …

withπαρὰparaG3844
from/with/beside

παρά (para) παρά, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative, with radical sense, beside. I. C. genitive of person(s), from the side of, from beside, from, indicating source or origin, [in LXX for מֵאֵצֶל ,מִיַד ,מִלִּפְנֵי ;] after verbs of motion, Mrk.14:43, Luk.8:49, Jhn.15:26, al.; after verbs of seeking, receiving, hearing, etc., Mrk.8:11 12:2, Jhn.4:9, 52 10:18, Php.4:18, 2Ti.1:18, Jas.1:7, al.; after passive verbs, of the agent (like ὑπό), Mat.21:42, Mrk.12:11, Luk.1:37; absol., οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, his family, his kinsfolk, Mrk.3:21 (cf. M, Pr., 106f.; Field, Notes, 25f.; Swete, in l.); τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς (αὐ …

GodθεῷtheōG2316
God

θεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; …

to repayἀνταποδοῦναιantapodounaiG0467
to repay

ἀνταποδίδωμι (antapodidōmi) ἀντ-απο-δίδωμι (ἀντί ἀποδίδωμι), [in LXX for שָׁלַם pi., גָּמַל, שׁוּב hi., etc. ;] to give back as an equivalent, recompense, requital (the ἀντί ex­pressing the idea of full, complete return; see Lft., Notes, 46); (a) in favourable sense: Luk.14:14, Rom.11:35, 1Th.3:9; (b) in unfavourable sense: Rom.12:19, 2Th.1:6, Heb.10:30.† (AS)

oppressingθλίβουσινthlibousinG2346
to press on

θλίβω (thlibō) θλίβω [in LXX chiefly (ὁ θλίβων, ) for צוּר ;] to press: with accusative of person(s), Mrk.3:9; ὁδὸς τεθλιμμένη, a narrow (compressed) way, Mat.7:14. Metaphorical (as frequently in LXX), to oppress, afflict, distress: with accusative of person(s), 2Th.1:6; pass. (Vg., tribulor, tribulation em patior), 2Co.1:6 4:8 7:5, 1Th.3:4, 2Th.1:7, 1Ti.5:10, Heb.11:37 (cf. ἀπο-, συν-θλίβω).† (AS)

youὑμᾶςhumasG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

with afflictionθλῖψινthlipsinG2347
pressure

θλῖψις (thlipsis) θλίψις (LTr., θλῖψις), -εως, ἡ (θλίβω), [in LXX for צָרָה, etc. ;] pressure (Arist.). In LXX and NT metaphorically, tribulation, affliction, distress: Mat.24:9, 21 24:29, Mrk.13:19, 24, Jhn.16:21, Act.7:11 11:19, Rom.12:12, 2Co.1:4 1:8 4:17 6:4 7:4 8:2 8:13, Php.4:14, 2Th.1:6, Jas.1:27, Rev.1:9 2:9, 22 7:14; with ἀνάγκη (which see), 1Th.3:7; στενοχωρία (which from the order of the words would appear to be the stronger term), Rom.2:9 8:35; διωγμός, Mat.13:21, Mrk.4:17, 2Th.1:4; θ. ἔχω, Jhn.16:33, 1Co.7:23, Rev.2:10; ἔρχεσθαι ἐπί, Act.7:11; ἐν θλίψει 1Th.1:6; pl., Act.7:10 14:22 20:28, Rom.5:3 …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.