2 John 1: What the Passage Says

The Chapter in a Sentence

A letter from "the elder" to a chosen lady and her children. He is glad that some of her children are living in the truth, and he repeats the command they have had from the beginning: love one another, which means living by God's commands. He warns that many deceivers who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh have gone out into the world, and tells the readers not to welcome into their homes anyone who does not bring the teaching of Christ. He closes by saying he hopes to visit and talk in person rather than write more.

Claim by Claim

1. 1:1
   • The letter is from the elder.
   • The letter is addressed to the elect lady and her children.
   • The elder loves the lady and her children in the truth.
   • The elder is not the only one who loves them.
   • All those who have known the truth also love them.
2. 1:2
   • The love is on account of the truth.
   • The truth dwells in us.
   • The truth will be with us forever.
3. 1:3
   • Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us.
   • The grace, mercy, and peace come from God the Father.
   • The grace, mercy, and peace come from the Lord Jesus Christ.
   • Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father.
   • The grace, mercy, and peace come in truth and love.
4. 1:4
   • The elder rejoiced greatly.
   • He rejoiced because he found some of the lady's children walking in truth.
   • We received a commandment from the Father.
5. 1:5
   • The elder makes a request of the lady.
   • He is not writing a new commandment to her.
   • The commandment is one we had from the beginning.
   • The commandment is that we love one another.
6. 1:6
   • Love is that we walk according to his commandments.
   • This is the commandment.
   • You have heard the commandment from the beginning.
   • You should walk in it, though whether 'it' is the commandment or love is not specified.
7. 1:7
   • Many deceivers have gone out into the world.
   • These deceivers do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh.
   • Such a person is the deceiver.
   • Such a person is the antichrist.
8. 1:8
   • The readers are told to look to themselves.
   • The purpose is that we not lose the things we have worked for.
   • The purpose is that we receive a full reward.
9. 1:9
   • Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God.
   • Whoever abides in the doctrine of Christ has the Father.
   • Whoever abides in the doctrine of Christ has the Son.
10. 1:10
    • The condition is that someone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine.
    • In that case, do not receive him into the house.
    • In that case, do not greet him.
11. 1:11
    • Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds.
12. 1:12
    • The elder has many things to write to them.
    • He did not want to write them with paper and ink.
    • He hopes to come to them.
    • He hopes to speak with them face to face.
    • The purpose is that our joy may be full.
13. 1:13
    • The children of the lady's elect sister send her greetings.
    • The letter closes with Amen.

Words Worth Explaining

Every language note in this chapter, gathered. These explain what a word meant, never what it means for the reader.

1:1

"The elder" translates the Greek presbyteros, an older man, and also the title of an officeholder in the early churches. The writer gives no personal name, only this title. "Elect" means chosen. Readers have long disagreed about whether "the elect lady and her children" is one particular woman and her family, or a whole congregation addressed as a woman with its members as her children; the Greek allows either, and verse 13 works the same way.

1:3

Greek letters normally opened with a one word greeting. Christian letters expanded it into a formula like this one. Note also that the Greek here is a statement, "will be with us," rather than a wish, "may it be with you," which is unusual for such an opening.

1:4

"Walking" is the ordinary Jewish and early Christian image for the whole conduct of a life, the way a person goes about day to day. It carries on through verse 6.

1:7

"Antichrist" is the Greek antichristos, meaning either against Christ or in the place of Christ. The word appears in the New Testament only in the letters of John, and there it is used of people alive at the time who taught what the writer regards as a denial of Christ, not only of a single future figure.

1:8

"Wrought" is simply the old past tense of "work." Manuscripts differ over the pronouns in this verse, some reading "that you do not lose what you have worked for," others "what we have worked for."

1:9

The King James "transgresseth" follows a later Greek reading. The earliest manuscripts have a word meaning to go on ahead or run out in front, so the picture is of someone advancing past the teaching rather than breaking a rule. "Abideth" means stays or remains.

1:10

Traveling teachers depended on households for food and lodging, and congregations commonly met in private homes, so taking someone into your house meant both sheltering him and giving him a platform. "Bid him God speed" is not a farewell about speed; it is the ordinary Greek greeting chairein, and the old English phrase means roughly "may God prosper you." To offer it was to signal public acceptance of the person.

1:11

"Bid him God speed" was the King James way of saying a warm greeting, like wishing someone well on a journey. In that time such a greeting in front of others meant you were on his side.

1:12

"Paper" is papyrus, sheets made from a reed, and the ink was soot mixed with gum and water. The Greek behind "face to face" is literally "mouth to mouth."

1:13

"Thy elect sister" matches the "elect lady" of verse 1, so on the reading that the letter addresses a congregation, this is a greeting from the members of another church. "Amen" is a Hebrew word of affirmation, roughly "so be it"; it is absent from the earliest manuscripts here and was added by later copyists.