Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Rendering (didontov). Genitive of present active participle of didwmi, to give, agreeing with Ihsou.
Vengeance (ekdikhsin). Late word from ekdikew, to vindicate, in Polybius and LXX.
To them that know not God (toiv mh eidosin qeon). Dative plural of perfect active participle eidwv. Apparently chiefly Gentiles in mind (I Thessalonians 4:3; Galatians 4:8; Romans 1:28; Ephesians 2:12), though Jews are also guilty of wilful ignorance of God (Romans 2:14).
And to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus (kai toiv mh upakouousin tw euaggeliw tou kuriou hmwn Ihsou). Repetition of the article looks like another class and so Jews (Romans 10:16). Both Jews as instigators and Gentiles as officials (politarxv) were involved in the persecution in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9; II Thessalonians 1:6). Note the use of "gospel" here as in Mark 1:15 "believe in the gospel."
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 2 Thessalonians 1:8:
Acts 7:30
1 Corinthians 3:13
1 Thessalonians 1:5
2 Thessalonians 1:5
2 Thessalonians 1:11
2 Thessalonians 1:11
Hebrews 10:27
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