2 Thessalonians 1:9

These non-Christians will suffer "eternal destruction" (lit. they will pay a penalty). Their fate is eternal separation from the person of Christ and the manifestation of His glory (i.e., eternal death; cf. Isaiah 2:10; Isaiah 2:19; Isaiah 2:21). This is Paul’s most explicit reference to the eternal duration of unbelievers’ judgment in all his writings. It is ironic and talionic that those who reject Christ experience God’s rejection.

"Olethros (’destruction’) does not refer to annihilation, which cannot be ’everlasting’ (Hendriksen, p. 160). The word in LXX and NT usages never has this meaning but rather turns on the thought of separation from God and loss of everything worthwhile in life . . ." [Note: Thomas, p. 313. Cf. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. "olethros," by J. Schneider, 5 (1967):169; Leon Morris The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, p. 205; D. Michael Martin, 1, 2 Thessalonians, p. 213; Wanamaker, p. 229; and Robert A. Peterson, "Does the Bible Teach Annihilationism?" Bibliotheca Sacra 156:621 (January-March 1999):13-27.]

"Heaven is primarily the presence of God. Hell is the loss of that presence." [Note: E. J. Bicknell, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, p. 70.]