The Second Epistle of John

• Who Wrote: The Apostle John
• Where Written: Ephesus, or near
• When Written: c. 98 C.E.

Greetings

1 The older man[1] to the chosen lady[2] and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, ² because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. ³ Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Keep Walking In the Truth

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

Watch Out for Deceivers

⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, even those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.[3] ⁸ Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward. ⁹ Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching, he 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 or give him any greeting; ¹¹ for the one who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.

John Hopes to Visit

¹² Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face,[4] so that your[5] joy may be made full.

¹³ The children of your chosen sister greet you.

[1] Older man; elder: The Hebrew word (זָקֵן zaqen) and the Greek word (πρεσβύτερος presbuteros), both meaning older man or elder, are used to refer to older persons (Ge 18:11; De 28:50; 1Sa 2:22; 1Ti 5:1, 2) or a person who is older than another. (Lu 15:25) However, they also apply to those who have a position of authority and responsibility in a community or nation. The latter sense is what we find in the Old and the New Testaments. In the Greek NT, presbuteros primarily refers to an older man or elder over an assembly of Christian believers.

[2] Some believe that this letter to “the chosen lady” is addressed to a specific Christian congregation and her children is a reference to spiritual children, that is, the children of the “sister” (2Jo 13), which would have been the believers of another congregation. Yet, others believe that the reference was addressed to a person, possibly named Kyria, “lady.”

[3] Antichrist: (ἀντίχριστος antichristos) The term “Antichrist,” occurs in the NT five times. From those five times, we gather this entity is “against” (i.e., denies Christ) or “instead of” (i.e., false Christs) Jesus Christ. Many antichrists began back in the apostle John’s day and will continue up unto Jesus’ second coming. (1 John 2:18) The antichrist is referred to as a number of individuals taken together, i.e., collectively. (2 John 1;7) Persons who deny Jesus Christ are the antichrist. (1 John 2:22) All who deny the divinity of Jesus Christ as the One and Only Son of God is the antichrist. (1 John 2:22; John 10:36; Lu 9:35) Some antichrists are apostates who left the faith and are now in opposition to the truth. (1 John 2:18-19) Those who oppose the true followers of Jesus are the antichrist. (John 15:20-21) Antichrists are individuals or nations opposing Jesus or trying to supplant his kingly authority. – Ps. 2:2; Matt. 24:24; Rev. 17:3, 12-14; 19:11-21.

[4] Lit mouth to mouth

[5] Your [WH] A B 33 81 1739 vg copbo; Our [TR NU] א K L P Ψ 614 Byz Lect syr^ph, ^h arm al