Greeting

The elder:

To the elect(A) lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth(B) because of the truth that remains in us(C) and will be with us forever.

Grace, mercy, and peace(D) will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son(E) of the Father, in truth and love.(F)

Truth and Deception

I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth,(G) in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.(H) This is love:(I) that we walk according to his commands.(J) This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: that you walk in love.[a]

Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.(K) This is the deceiver and the antichrist.(L) Watch yourselves so that you don’t lose what we[b] have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward.(M) Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching(N) but goes beyond it does not have God.(O) The one who remains(P) in that teaching, this one has both the Father(Q) and the Son.(R) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive(S) him into your home, and do not greet him; 11 for the one who greets him shares(T) in his evil works.(U)

Farewell

12 Though I have many things to write to you,(V) I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy(W) may be complete.

13 The children of your elect sister send you greetings.

Footnotes

  1. 6 Or in it
  2. 8 Other mss read you

Greeting

The elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth— because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever[a]. Grace, mercy, peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love.

I was very glad[b] because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us[c].

Watch Out for False Teachers

And now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but one that we have had from the beginning), that we should love one another. And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ[d] coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.

Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not speak a greeting to him, 11 because the one who speaks a greeting to him shares in his evil deeds.

Conclusion and Final Greeting

12 Although[e] I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so by means of paper and ink, but I hope to be with you and to speak face to face[f], so that your[g] joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:2 Or “in perpetuity”; literally “for the age”
  2. 2 John 1:4 Literally “I rejoiced exceedingly”
  3. 2 John 1:4 Literally “we received commandment from the Father”
  4. 2 John 1:7 Or “confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh” (see 1 John 4:2)
  5. 2 John 1:12 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as concessive
  6. 2 John 1:12 Literally “mouth to mouth”
  7. 2 John 1:12 Some manuscripts have “our”

The 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) because of the truth,(E) which lives in us(F) and will be with us forever:

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

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,(H) just as the Father commanded us. And 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. And 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.

I 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) Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(Q) Anyone 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) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.(T) 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares(U) in their wicked work.

12 I 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)

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

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you

The Second Epistle of John

This Epistle is written to a woman of great renown,  4 who brought up her children in the fear of God:  6 he exhorteth her to continue in Christian charity, 7 that she accompany not with Antichrists, 10 but avoid them.

The Elder to the [a]elect [b]Lady, and her children, [c]whom I love in the truth: and not I only, but also all that have known the truth,

For the truth’s sake which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever:

Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, with [d]truth and love.

[e]I rejoiced greatly, that I found of thy children walking in [f]truth, as we have received a commandment of the Father.

And now beseech I thee, Lady, (not as writing a new commandment unto thee, but the same which we had from the beginning) that we (A)love one another.

And this is that love that we should walk after his commandments. This commandment is, that as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

[g]For many deceivers are entered into this world, which confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. He that is such one, is a deceiver and an Antichrist.

[h][i]Look to yourselves, that we lose not the things, which we have done, but that we may receive a full reward.

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that continueth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

10 [j]If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, (B)receive him not to house, neither bid him Godspeed.

11 For he that biddeth him Godspeed, is partaker of his evil deeds. Although I had many things to write unto you, yet would I not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full.

12 The sons of thine elect sister greet thee, Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:1 This is no proper name, but to be taken as the word soundeth, that is to say to the worthy and noble Lady.
  2. 2 John 1:1 Excellent and honorable Dame.
  3. 2 John 1:1 The bond of Christian conjunction or linking together, is the true and constant profession of the truth.
  4. 2 John 1:3 With true knowledge, which hath always love joined with it, and following it.
  5. 2 John 1:4 This true profession consisteth both in love one toward another which the Lord hath commanded, and also especially in wholesome and sound doctrine, which also is delivered unto us: for the commandment of God is a sound and sure foundation both of the rule of manners and of doctrine, and these cannot be separated the one from the other.
  6. 2 John 1:4 According as the truth directeth them.
  7. 2 John 1:7 Antichrists fighting against the person and office of Christ, were already crept into the Church in the time of the Apostles.
  8. 2 John 1:8 He that maketh shipwreck of doctrine, loseth all.
  9. 2 John 1:8 Beware and take good heed.
  10. 2 John 1:10 We ought to have nothing to do with them that defend perverse doctrine.