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2 John 1

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The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

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For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

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Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

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I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

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And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

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And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

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For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

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Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

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Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

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If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

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For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

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Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

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The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

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2 John 1:5

“And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.”

Study Summary

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning — that we love one another — the command to love is not innovative but primordial, rooted in Jesus' own teaching and the apostolic tradition from Christianity's inception. The phrase 'from the beginning' (ap' archēs) carries weight in Johannine theology, possibly evoking the creation order and the God's original intention for human communion. By grounding the love command in tradition rather than novelty, the elder strengthens its claim on the community's obedience.

Community Reflections

1
Sarah Okafor (test user)1d ago
The cost of discipleship — 2 John 1

When we read this alongside the surrounding chapters, the narrative arc becomes clear: God is always working redemption, even in the darkest moments.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. His timing, His methods, His purposes — all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good.. What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. The contrast between human weakness and divine strength is so vivid in this passage. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing — both the anguish and the hope.. There's something deeply comforting about knowing that the same God who spoke these words is the…

Read the note →
1
Michael van Berg (test user)1d ago
Hope in suffering — 2 John 1

God is faithful in every circumstance.. The promise here is not conditional on our strength but on His character.. I love how this passage doesn't shy away from the difficulty of obedience. God is faithful in every circumstance.. We bring nothing; He provides everything.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. The early church would have heard this very differently than we do today. Today it speaks comfort; a year ago it spoke conviction.. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing — both the anguish and the hope.. The early church would have heard…

Read the note →

2 John 1:5

“And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.”

Study Summary

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning — that we love one another — the command to love is not innovative but primordial, rooted in Jesus' own teaching and the apostolic tradition from Christianity's inception. The phrase 'from the beginning' (ap' archēs) carries weight in Johannine theology, possibly evoking the creation order and the God's original intention for human communion. By grounding the love command in tradition rather than novelty, the elder strengthens its claim on the community's obedience.

Community Reflections

1
Sarah Okafor (test user)1d ago
The cost of discipleship — 2 John 1

When we read this alongside the surrounding chapters, the narrative arc becomes clear: God is always working redemption, even in the darkest moments.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. This connects directly to the promise made to Abraham. Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss.. His timing, His methods, His purposes — all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good.. What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. The contrast between human weakness and divine strength is so vivid in this passage. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing — both the anguish and the hope.. There's something deeply comforting about knowing that the same God who spoke these words is the…

Read the note →
1
Michael van Berg (test user)1d ago
Hope in suffering — 2 John 1

God is faithful in every circumstance.. The promise here is not conditional on our strength but on His character.. I love how this passage doesn't shy away from the difficulty of obedience. God is faithful in every circumstance.. We bring nothing; He provides everything.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. Faith isn't the absence of doubt — it's choosing to believe despite it.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. God is faithful in every circumstance.. The early church would have heard this very differently than we do today. Today it speaks comfort; a year ago it spoke conviction.. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing — both the anguish and the hope.. The early church would have heard…

Read the note →

2 John 1:5

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning — that we love one another — the command to love is not innovative but primordial, rooted in Jesus' own teaching and the apostolic tradition from Christianity's inception. The phrase 'from the beginning' (ap' archēs) carries weight in Johannine theology, possibly evoking the creation order and the God's original intention for human communion. By grounding the love command in tradition rather than novelty, the elder strengthens its claim on the community's obedience.