2 Thessalonians followed the first letter to the Thessalonians by a few months – reinforcing the teaching and clearing up misunderstandings regarding the return of Christ. The letters to the Thessalonians were written approximately 20 years after the crucifixion. Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible

2 Thessalonians 1 (A Chapter a Day)

1Paul, Silas^[a] and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3We
ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because
your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has
for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

5All
this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will
be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and
give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will
happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with
his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on
the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled
at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you
believed our testimony to you.

11With
this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you
worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good
purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12We
pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus
Christ.^[b]

Footnotes:

1. 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
2. 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or God and Lord, Jesus Christ

New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society