2 John
Chapter 1
Overview
This brief letter comes from a writer who calls himself “the elder” and addresses a “chosen lady” and her children. He writes with deep affection, tying love to truth and truth to everyday conduct. His joy over their faithfulness quickly turns into a warning: traveling teachers are spreading a false account of Jesus, so hospitality must be guided by discernment. The letter moves from greeting, to the command to love one another, to practical boundaries against deception, and finally to the hope of a face-to-face visit—because some things are better carried by a living voice than by ink.
1From the elder, to the chosen lady and her children. I love all of you with a love grounded in the truth. I am not the only one who loves you; everyone who has come to know the truth loves you too.
2We love you because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever.
3Generous kindness, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus the Messiah, the Father’s Son, as we live in truth and love.
4I was overjoyed to find some of your children living by the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
5And now, lady, I ask you to love one another. I am not writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning.
6This is what love means: living according to God’s commands. And this is the command you have heard from the beginning: live in love.
7Many deceivers have gone out into the world. They do not acknowledge that Jesus the Messiah came as a human being. Anyone like this is the deceiver and the opponent of the Messiah.
8Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but instead receive a full reward.
9Anyone who goes beyond the Messiah’s teaching and does not remain in it does not have God in their life. Whoever remains in that teaching has both the Father and the Son.
10If anyone comes to you without bringing this teaching, do not receive that person into your home or welcome them.
11Anyone who welcomes such a person shares in that person’s evil actions.
12I have many things to write to you, but I did not want to do so with paper and ink. Instead, I hope to be with you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be complete.
13The children of your chosen sister send you greetings.