2 Thessalonians 1:8
ἐν πυρὶ φλογός, διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι Θεὸν καὶ τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
In flaming fire, giving vengeance to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The Image of Flaming Judgment
ἐν πυρὶ φλογός – “in flaming fire.”
- ἐν + dative denotes manner or accompaniment: the judgment comes “in the midst of” or “by means of” fire.
- πυρὶ – “fire,” dative singular of πῦρ.
- φλογός – genitive singular of φλόξ, meaning “flame.” The genitive is descriptive (“fire of flame”), intensifying the vividness of the scene. Fire and flame together are a common image of divine judgment in both Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 66:15–16) and apocalyptic literature.
The Act of Vengeance
διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν – “giving vengeance.”
- διδόντος – present active participle, genitive singular masculine, agreeing with the implied subject from the preceding verse (Christ or the Lord).
- ἐκδίκησιν – “vengeance” or “justice,” accusative singular of ἐκδίκησις. In Greek literature, the word often carries the sense of rightful retribution rather than personal revenge. Here, it refers to the judicial action of God, righteous and deserved.
The Recipients of Divine Justice
τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι Θεὸν – “to those who do not know God.”
- τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι – dative plural masculine participle of οἶδα (“to know”), with negative particle μή. Refers to ignorance, not merely intellectual, but relational—failure to acknowledge or reverence God.
- Θεὸν – accusative singular, object of the knowing.
καὶ τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ – “and to those who do not obey the gospel.”
- τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσι – dative plural masculine participle of ὑπακούω (“to obey, to listen under”). Disobedience here is active resistance to the call of the gospel.
- τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ – “the gospel,” dative singular of εὐαγγέλιον.
τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ – “of our Lord Jesus Christ.” A genitive chain that specifies the gospel’s source and authority: it belongs to and proclaims the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah.
Summary Table
| Greek Phrase | Translation | Form | Function / Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν πυρὶ φλογός | in flaming fire | Prepositional phrase + descriptive genitive | Manner of divine judgment |
| διδόντος ἐκδίκησιν | giving vengeance | Present participle + object | Act of divine retribution |
| τοῖς μὴ εἰδόσι Θεὸν | to those who do not know God | Dative participle + accusative | Recipients of judgment: ignorance of God |
| τοῖς μὴ ὑπακούουσι τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ | to those who do not obey the gospel | Dative participle + dative object | Recipients of judgment: disobedience to the gospel |
Closing Insight
The Greek of 2 Thessalonians 1:8 paints a solemn picture: fiery judgment, deliberate justice, and the twin failures of humanity—ignorance of God and rebellion against the gospel. The grammar is terse and powerful, matching the gravity of the scene: Christ returns not only to save but to judge, making knowledge and obedience matters of eternal significance.
