WALK IN LOVE
Key verse: 6
NIV
1 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)— 2 because of the truth,(E) which lives in us(F) and will be with us forever:
3 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.
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,(H) just as the Father commanded us. 5 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. 6 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.
7 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) 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(Q) 9 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
- 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you
Cross references
- 2 John 1:1 : S Ac 11:30; 3Jn 1
- 2 John 1:1 : ver 13; Ro 16:13; 1Pe 5:13
- 2 John 1:1 : ver 3
- 2 John 1:1 : Jn 8:32; 1Ti 2:4
- 2 John 1:2 : 2Pe 1:12
- 2 John 1:2 : Jn 14:17; 1Jn 1:8
- 2 John 1:3 : S Ro 1:7
- 2 John 1:4 : 3Jn 3, 4
- 2 John 1:5 : S 1Jn 2:7
- 2 John 1:6 : 1Jn 2:5
- 2 John 1:6 : S Jn 14:15
- 2 John 1:6 : S 1Jn 2:7
- 2 John 1:7 : 1Jn 2:22; 4:2, 3
- 2 John 1:7 : S Jn 1:14
- 2 John 1:7 : 1Jn 4:1
- 2 John 1:7 : S 1Jn 2:18
- 2 John 1:8 : S Mt 10:42; Mk 10:29, 30; 1Co 3:8; Heb 10:35, 36; 11:26
- 2 John 1:9 : Jn 8:31
- 2 John 1:9 : S 1Jn 2:23
- 2 John 1:10 : S Ro 16:17
- 2 John 1:11 : 1Ti 5:22
- 2 John 1:12 : 3Jn 13, 14
- 2 John 1:12 : S Jn 3:29
- 2 John 1:13 : ver 1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Greeting
1 (A)The elder to the elect lady and her children, (B)whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who (C)know (D)the truth, 2 (E)because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 (F)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.
Walking in Truth and Love
4 (G)I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—(H)not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—(I)that we love one another. 6 And (J)this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just (K)as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For (L)many deceivers (M)have gone out into the world, (N)those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, (O)so that you may not lose what we[a] have worked for, but (P)may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, (Q)does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching (R)has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, (S)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him (T)takes part in his wicked works.
Final Greetings
12 (U)Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. (V)Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, (W)so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you
Cross references
- 2 John 1:1 : 3 John 1; [1 Pet. 5:1]
- 2 John 1:1 : 1 John 3:18; 3 John 1
- 2 John 1:1 : John 8:32; [1 Tim. 2:4; Heb. 10:26]
- 2 John 1:1 : John 1:17; 14:6; See Gal. 2:5
- 2 John 1:2 : [1 Cor. 13:6]
- 2 John 1:3 : 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; [Jude 2]
- 2 John 1:4 : 3 John 3, 4
- 2 John 1:5 : 1 John 2:7
- 2 John 1:5 : See 1 John 3:11
- 2 John 1:6 : 1 John 5:3; [1 John 2:5]; See John 14:15
- 2 John 1:6 : 1 John 2:24
- 2 John 1:7 : See 1 John 2:18, 26
- 2 John 1:7 : 1 John 4:1
- 2 John 1:7 : 1 John 2:22; 4:2, 3
- 2 John 1:8 : [Gal. 3:4; Heb. 10:35]
- 2 John 1:8 : See 1 Cor. 3:8
- 2 John 1:9 : See 1 John 2:23
- 2 John 1:9 : See 1 John 2:23
- 2 John 1:10 : [Rom. 16:17; Gal. 1:8, 9; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14; Titus 3:10]
- 2 John 1:11 : [1 Tim. 5:22]
- 2 John 1:12 : 3 John 13
- 2 John 1:12 : 3 John 14
- 2 John 1:12 : John 15:11; 17:13
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
This book is written by John the Elder to a house church that seems to be led by a woman. He praises her for her staunch faith and clear upbringing of her children in the faith.
He encourages the believers in her house church to continue to walk in love and obedience to God’s commands. When we make love our aim and humbly obey Jesus’ command to do so, we can remain faithful to him.
Next, he cautions her house church not to welcome false teachers who deny Jesus is God. These deceivers have rejected Jesus’ teachings and destroy the community of faith, love and obedience. We also need to be on guard against good sounding humanism and cultural relativism that can lead us to compromise. For example, people say love is love, live together outside of marriage, and put rainbow signs in church windows. This humanistic view of love compromises God’s truth and denies Jesus who died to save people from their sins of immorality. We should not share in their wickedness, but love them by helping them to repent and be saved.
Prayer: Father, help me to hold fast to the truth that your one and only Son Jesus died for my sins. Help me to love Jesus and to obey his commands to walk in his love.
One Word: .One Word: Love Jesus and obey his commands
