2 John 1

¹The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not I alone, but also all who have come to know the truth— ²because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. ³Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

⁴I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, just as we received a commandment from the Father. ⁵And now I ask you, lady, not as though writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. ⁶And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you heard from the beginning: that you walk in it.

⁷For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. Such a person is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward. ⁹Everyone who goes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into a house or greet him, ¹¹for the one who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

¹²Though I have much to write to you, 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 greet you.

Translation notes 6

1:1–3, 13 — The elder and the chosen lady. The writer identifies himself as “the elder,” without giving a personal name. The lady and her children probably represent an assembly and its members, with a sister assembly sending greetings; a woman and her household remain possible. The feminine language is retained. “In truth” can include sincerity but also ties the affection to the truth shared by the community. Verse 3 is an assurance, “will be with us,” rather than a wish addressed only to the recipients.

1:4–6 — Walking in truth and love. “Some of your children” expresses the Greek's partitive wording; it does not establish that the others were unfaithful. “Walk” retains the image for conduct. “In it” at the end of verse 6 can refer to love or the commandment. The letter moves from singular address to the lady in verses 4–5 to plural address in verse 6 and the following warnings.

1:7 — Coming in the flesh. The Greek uses “coming,” while 1 John 4:2 says “having come.” The wording characterizes Jesus Christ's embodied coming; it does not require that the future return alone is intended. “Antichrist” identifies opposition to this confession without naming a later historical figure.

1:8–9 — Work, reward, and teaching. “You do not lose what we have worked for” follows the Greek base; other readings change “you” to “we” or “we have worked” to “you have worked.” “Goes ahead” may target a claim to advanced teaching; it is not a general rejection of learning. “The teaching of Christ” can mean teaching from Christ or teaching about him, and both fit the concern with the confession and commandment.

1:10–11 — Refusing reception. The warning concerns someone arriving without the teaching just described. Household reception could provide lodging and support for a traveling teacher, including access to a gathered assembly. The command also prohibits a greeting, because the writer treats it as participation in that person's work. Its severity is retained; the text does not add “merely a formal endorsement” or discuss every possible social encounter.

1:12–13 — Personal conversation and joy. “Face to face” renders the conventional expression “mouth to mouth.” “Your joy” follows the Greek base; “our joy” is a substantial textual alternative. The chosen sister herself is not said to send greetings, only her children. No “Amen” is present in the base.