2 Thessalonians 2:11
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: | For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, | And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedBecause they refused the love of the truth (2:10), God sends them a strong delusion so that they believe the lie. God's judgment gives them over to what they chose. The cause comes first: "for this cause." 2 Thessalonians 2:102 Thessalonians 2:11
Commonly taken out of context
How it’s often usedQuoted to say that God deceives innocent people or causes them to reject the truth.
In contextThe verse begins "for this cause," pointing back to people who "received not the love of the truth" (2:10) and "had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2:12). God gives them over to the lie they already chose, as in Romans 1:28, where God "gave them over" because "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge," and Psalms 81:12: "I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust." 2 Thessalonians 2:102 Thessalonians 2:112 Thessalonians 2:12Romans 1:28Psalms 81:12
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 "received not the love of the truth" (2:10). 2 Thessalonians 2:102 Thessalonians 2:11
Paul gives God's response to those who refused the truth. Verse 12 gives its purpose. 2 Thessalonians 2:102 Thessalonians 2:112 Thessalonians 2:12
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 eventsThis happens during the lawless one's working (2:9-10). 2 Thessalonians 2:92 Thessalonians 2:11
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 shows that God remains in control even of deception. Rejecting the truth brings judgment. 2 Thessalonians 2:102 Thessalonians 2:11
In the whole of ScriptureGod "gave them over to a reprobate mind" when "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge" (Romans 1:28). "My people would not hearken to my voice ... So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust" (Psalms 81:11-12). Jesus warned, "many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:11). Romans 1:28Psalms 81:11Psalms 81:12Matthew 24:11
For readersRepeatedly refusing the truth is dangerous. God may give people over to the lie they prefer. 2 Thessalonians 2:11Romans 1:28
- sendπέμπω
The word means to send. Strong's G3992
- strongἐνέργεια
The word means active energy, working. It is the same word as "working" in 2:9. Strong's G17532 Thessalonians 2:9
- delusionπλάνη
The word means error, wandering from the truth. Strong's G4106
- lieψεῦδος
The word means a lie, falsehood. Strong's G5579
Takeaway
Because people refused the love of the truth, God sends them strong delusion so that they believe the lie. 2 Thessalonians 2:102 Thessalonians 2:11Romans 1:28
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
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| And | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| because of | διὰ | dia | G1223 | through/because ofδιά (dia) διά (before a vowel δ᾽, exc. Rom.8:10, 2Co.5:7, and in (Proper name)s; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. with genitive, accusative, as in cl.; 1. with genitive, through; (i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mat.2:12 12:43, Mrk.2:23, Luk.4:30, Jhn.4:4, 2Co.11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, 1Co.3:15, 1Pe.3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; metaphorically, of a state or condition: Rom.14:20, 2Co.2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Rom.2:27 4:11; δι ̓ὑπομενῆς, Rom.8:25. (ii) Of Time; … |
| this | τοῦτο | touto | G3778 | this/he/she/itοὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; … |
| sends | πέμπει | pempei | G3992 | to sendπέμπω (pempō) πέμπω [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלַח ;] to send; (a) of persons: with accusative, absol., Mat.22:7, Luk.7:19, Jhn.1:22, 2Co.9:3, al.; ptcp. before verb., Mat.14:10, Act.19:31, al.; ptcp. before διά (= Heb. יָד;, 1Ki.16:20, al.), Mat.11:2 (cf. Rev.1:1); of teachers sent by God, Jhn.1:33 4:34, Rom.8:3, al.; with accusative and dative, 1Co.4:17, Php.2:19; before πρός, with accusative, Luk.4:26, Jhn.16:7, al.; before λέγων (cf. Heb. אָמַר שָׁלַח Gen.38:25, al.), Luk.7:6, 19; before εἰς, with accusative loc., Mat.2:8, Luk.15:15, al.; before εἰς (of purpose), Eph.6:22, Col.4:8, 1Pe.2:14; with inf., J … |
| to them | αὐτοῖς | autois | G0846 | it/s/heαὐτός (autos) 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; … |
| God | θεὸς | theos | G2316 | Godθεός (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; … |
| a powerful | ἐνέργειαν | energeian | G1753 | active energyἐνέργεια (energeia) ἐνέργεια, -ας, ἡ (ἐνεργής), [in LXX: Wis.7:17, 26 13:4 18:22, 2Ma.3:29, 3Ma.4:21 3Mac 5:12 3Mac 5:28 * ;] operative power (as distinct from δύναμις, potential power), working: of God, Eph.1:19 3:7 4:16, Php.3:21, Col.1:29 2:12; of Satan, 2Th.2:9 2:11 (cf. M, Th., l.with; AR, Eph., 241 ff.; Cremer, 261).† (AS) |
| delusion | πλάνης | planēs | G4106 | errorπλάνη (planē) πλάνη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX: Pro.14:8 (מִרְמָה), Wis.1:12, al ;] a wandering. Metaphorical, a going astray, an error (in NT always with respect to morals or religion): Mat.27:64, Rom.1:27, Eph.4:14, 1Th.2:3, 2Th.2:11, Jas.5:20, 2Pe.2:18 3:17 3:1-18; 1Jn.4:6, Ju 11.† (AS) |
| so | εἰς | eis | G1519 | towardεἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; … |
| to believe | πιστεῦσαι | pisteusai | G4100 | to trust (in)πιστεύω (pisteuō) πιστεύω, [in LXX chiefly for אמן hi. ;] 1. intrans., to have faith (in), to believe; in cl., with accusative, dative, in NT also with prep, (on the significance of the various constructions, see M, Pr., 67f.; Vau. on Rom.4:5; Ellic. on 1Ti.1:16; Abbott, JV, 19-80): absol., Mat.24:23, 26 Mrk.13:21, 1Co.11:18; with accusative of thing(s), Act.13:41, 1Co.13:7; with dative of person(s) (to believe what one says), Mrk.16:[13, 14], 1Jn.4:1; τ. ψεύδει, 2Th.2:11; περί . . . ὅτι, Jhn.9:18; esp. and most frequently with reference to religious belief: absol., Mat.8:13, Mrk.5:36, Luk.8:50, Jhn.11:40, al … |
| they | αὐτοὺς | autous | G0846 | it/s/heαὐτός (autos) 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; … |
| [is] false, | ψεύδει, | pseudei | G5579 | lieψεῦδος (pseudos) ψεῦδος, -εος (-ους), τό [in LXX chiefly for שֶׁקֶר, also for כַּחַשׁ, כָּזָב ;] a falsehood, untruth, lie: Rev.14:15; opposite to ἡ ἀλήθεια, Jhn.8:44, Rom.1:25, Eph.4:25, 2Th.2:11, 1Jn.2:21; to τὸ ἀληθές, 1Jn.2:27; ποιεῖν ψ., Rev.21:27 22:15; ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει κ. σημείοις κ. τέρασιν ψεύδους (genitive qual., see M, Th., 104; and on the meaning and construction, see also ICC, in l), 2Th.2:9.† (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.