2 Thessalonians 2:12
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. | in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. | that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedThe result is that all "who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" will be judged. Unbelief and pleasure in unrighteousness stand side by side. 2 Thessalonians 2:112 Thessalonians 2:12
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 believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:12
This verse closes Paul's teaching on the man of sin and his followers (2:3-12). Verse 13 turns to the Thessalonians: "But we are bound to give thanks." 2 Thessalonians 2:122 Thessalonians 2:132 Thessalonians overview
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 eventsTheir judgment comes at the end of the events in 2:8-11. 2 Thessalonians 2:82 Thessalonians 2:12
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 condemnation is just: it falls on those who rejected the truth and loved unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:122 Thessalonians overview
In the whole of Scripture"He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16). God gives "indignation and wrath" to those who "do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness" (Romans 2:8). Some "not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Romans 1:32). Mark 16:16Romans 2:8Romans 1:32
For readersThe verse sets refusing the truth beside taking pleasure in unrighteousness. Romans 2:8 likewise speaks of those that "do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:12Romans 2:8
- damnedκρίνω
The word means to judge or decide. Here it is "that they all might be damned," that is, judged. Strong's G29192 Thessalonians 2:12
- had pleasureεὐδοκέω
The word means to be well pleased, to delight in. Strong's G2106
- unrighteousnessἀδικία
The word means unrighteousness, wickedness. Strong's G0093
Takeaway
All who refused the truth and delighted in unrighteousness will be judged. 2 Thessalonians 2:12Mark 16:16
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in order that | ἵνα | ina | G2443 | in order that/toἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); … |
| may be judged | κριθῶσιν | krithōsin | G2919 | to judgeκρίνω (krinō) κρίνω, [in LXX chiefly for שׁפט, also for ריב ,דּין, etc. ;] 1. to separate, select, choose (cl.; in LXX: 2Ma.13:15). 2. to approve, esteem: Rom.14:5. 3. to be of opinion, judge, think: Luk.7:43, 1Co.11:13; before τοῦτο ὅτι, 2Co.5:14; with accusative and inf., Act.16:15; with accusative and pred., Act.13:46 26:8. 4. to decide, determine, decree: with accusative, Act.16:4, Rom.14:13, 1Co.7:37, 2Co.2:1; with inf. (Field, Notes, 167), Act.20:16 25:25, 1Co.2:2 5:3, Tit.3:12 (cf. 1Ma.11:33, Wis.8:9, al.); with accusative and inf., Act.21:25 27:1. … |
| all | πάντες | pantes | G3956 | allπᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. … |
| not | μὴ | mē | G3361 | notμή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. … |
| having believed | πιστεύσαντες | pisteusantes | 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 … |
| truth | ἀληθείᾳ | alētheia | G0225 | truthἀλήθεια (alētheia) ἀλήθεια, -ας, ἡ (ἀληθής), [in LXX chiefly for אֱמֶת (on which, see Cremer, 627f.), אֱמוּנָה ;] truth (see DB, iv, 818f.). 1. Objectively, "the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter" (Cremer, 86): Rom.9:1, al.; of religious truth, Rom.1:25, al.; esp. of Christian doctrine, Gal.2:5, al.; ἀ. θεοῦ, Rom.15:8. 2. Subjectively, truthfulness, truth, not merely verbal (cl.), but sincerity and integrity of character: Jhn.8:44, 3Jo.3. … |
| but | ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | G0235 | butἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); … |
| having delighted | εὐδοκήσαντες | eudokēsantes | G2106 | to delightεὐδοκέω (eudokeō) εὐ-δοκέω, -ῶ (on the derivation, see EL, § 28, 6) [in LXX chiefly for רָצָה, also for אָבָה, חָפֵץ, etc. ;] 1. with inf. (Polyb., al.), to be well pleased, to think it good, to give consent (so frequently in π. in legal documents; Milligan, Th., 22 f.): Luk.12:32, Rom.15:26-27, 1Co.1:21, Gal.1:15, Col.1:19, R, mg. (ICC, in l, but see infr.), 1Th.2:8 3:1; μᾶλλον εὐ., 2Co.5:8; with accusative and inf. (Polyb., i, 8, 4), Col, l.with, R, txt. (Lft., in l). 2. to be well pleased or take pleasure with or in a person or thing; (a) with dative (Polyb., al.; 1Ma.1:43, I Est.4:39): 2Th.2:12; … |
| in | ἐν | en | G1722 | in/on/amongἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af … |
| in unrighteousness. | ἀδικίᾳ.¶ | adikia | G0093 | unrighteousnessἀδικία (adikia) ἀδικία, -ας, ἡ (ἄδικος), [in LXX for עָוֹן, פֶּשַׁע, עָוֶל, etc. ;] 1. injustice: Luk.18:6, Rom.9:14. 2. unrighteousness, iniquity: Jhn.7:18, Act.8:23, Rom.1:18, 29 2:8 6:13, 2Ti.2:19, 1Jn.1:9 5:17; opposite to ἀλήθεια, 1Co.13:6, 2Th.2:12; to δικαιοσύνη ], Rom.3:5; ἀπάτη τῆς ἀ., 2Th.2:10; μισθὸς ἀδικίας, Act.1:18, 2Pe.2:13,15; ἐγράται τῆς ἀ., Luk.13:27; μαμωνᾶς τῆς ἀ., Luk.16:9; κόσμος τῆς ἀ., Jas.3:6; οἰκονόμος τῆς ἀ., Luk.16:8. 3. = ἀδίκημα, an unrighteous act: ironically, a favour, 2Co.12:13; pl., Heb.8:12 (Cremer, 261; MM, VGT, see word). † (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.