2 John

Living Bible

¹From: John, the old Elder of the church.

To: That dear woman Cyria, one of God’s very own, and to her children whom I love so much, as does everyone else in the church. ²Since the Truth is in our hearts forever, ³God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son will bless us with great mercy and much peace, and with truth and love.

⁴How happy I am to find some of your children here and to see that they are living as they should, following the Truth, obeying God’s command.

⁵And now I want to urgently remind you, dear friends, of the old rule God gave us right from the beginning, that Christians should love one another. ⁶If we love God, we will do whatever he tells us to. And he has told us from the very first to love each other.

⁷Watch out for the false leaders—and there are many of them around—who don’t believe that Jesus Christ came to earth as a human being with a body like ours. Such people are against the truth and against Christ. ⁸Beware of being like them and losing the prize that you and I have been working so hard to get. See to it that you win your full reward from the Lord. ⁹For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too. Then you will have both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰If anyone comes to teach you, and he doesn’t believe what Christ taught, don’t even invite him into your home. Don’t encourage him in any way. ¹¹If you do, you will be a partner with him in his wickedness.

¹²Well, I would like to say much more, but I don’t want to say it in this letter, for I hope to come to see you soon, and then we can talk over these things together and have a joyous time.

¹³Greetings from the children of your sister—another choice child of God.

Sincerely, John

2 John

New Living Translation

Greetings

¹This letter is from John, the elder.^[a]

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children,^[b] whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— ²because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.

³Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

Live in the Truth

⁴How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.

⁵I am writing to remind you, dear friends,^[c] that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. ⁶Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

⁷I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came^[d] in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. ⁸Watch out that you do not lose what we^[e] have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. ⁹Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. ¹¹Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

Conclusion

¹²I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

¹³Greetings from the children of your sister,^[f] chosen by God.

Footnotes

1a Greek From the elder.
1b Or the church God has chosen and its members.
5 Greek I urge you, lady.
7 Or will come.
8 Some manuscripts read you.
13 Or from the members of your sister church.

2 John

Contemporary English Version

¹From the church leader.^[a]

To a very special woman and her children.^[b] I truly love all of you, and so does everyone else who knows the truth. ²We love you because the truth is now in our hearts, and it will be there forever.

³I pray that God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son will be kind and merciful to us! May they give us peace and truth and love.

Truth and Love

⁴I was very glad to learn that some of your children are obeying the truth, as the Father told us to do. ⁵^(A) Dear friend, I am not writing to tell you and your children to do something you have not done before. I am writing to tell you to love each other, which is the first thing you were told to do. ⁶Love means we do what God tells us. And from the beginning, he told you to love him.

⁷Many liars have gone out into the world. These deceitful liars are saying Jesus Christ did not have a truly human body. But they are liars and the enemies of Christ. ⁸So be sure not to lose what we^[c] have worked for. If you do, you won't be given your full reward. ⁹Don't keep changing what you were taught about Christ, or else God will no longer be with you. But if you hold firmly to what you were taught, both the Father and the Son will be with you. ¹⁰^(B) If people won't agree to this teaching, don't welcome them into your home or even greet them. ¹¹Greeting them is the same as taking part in their evil deeds.

Final Greetings

¹²I have much more to tell you, but I don't want to write it with pen and ink. I want to come and talk to you in person, because this will make us^[d] really happy.

¹³Greetings from the children of your very special sister.^[e]

Footnotes

1 church leader: Or “elder” or “presbyter.”
1 very special woman and her children: A group of the Lord's followers who met together for worship. “The children of your … sister” (see verse 13) is another group of followers. “Very special” (here and verse 13) probably means “chosen (by the Lord).”
8 we: Some manuscripts have “you.”
12 us: Some manuscripts have “you.”
13 sister: See the note at verse 1.

2 John

New International Version

¹The elder,^(A)

To the lady chosen by God^(B) and to her children, whom I love in the truth^(C)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth^(D)— ²because of the truth,^(E) which lives in us^(F) and will be with us forever:

³Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,^(G) the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

⁴It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,^(H) just as the Father commanded us. ⁵And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.^(I) I ask that we love one another. ⁶And this is love:^(J) that we walk in obedience to his commands.^(K) As you have heard from the beginning,^(L) his command is that you walk in love.

⁷I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ^(M) as coming in the flesh,^(N) have gone out into the world.^(O) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.^(P) ⁸Watch out that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.^(Q) ⁹Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ^(R) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.^(S) ¹⁰If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.^(T) ¹¹Anyone who welcomes them shares^(U) in their wicked work.

¹²I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face,^(V) so that our joy may be complete.^(W)

¹³The children of your sister, who is chosen by God,^(X) send their greetings.

Footnotes

2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you

Living Bible (TLB)

New Living Translation (NLT)

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

New International Version (NIV)

2 John

Living Bible