The Book of 2 John
2 John, a brief letter of just thirteen verses, urges a church 'lady and her children' to walk in truth and love and to guard against deceivers who deny Christ.
- Testament
- New (1 chapters)
- Type
- Epistle
- Author
- 'The elder' — traditionally John the apostle.
- Date
- Probably 85-95 AD.
Truth and love together
John refuses to separate truth from love — 'truth, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 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' (2-3). Both, not either.
Boundaries against false teaching
John warns about teachers who 'confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh' — a denial of the incarnation. His instruction is sharp: don't host them, don't even greet them as fellow workers (10-11). Love does not require endorsing every claim.
Key verses (KJV)
“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.” — 2 John 1:6 (KJV)
“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth.” — 2 John 1:4 (KJV)
“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” — 2 John 1:8 (KJV)
How to read 2 John
Thirteen verses — read in two minutes. Read alongside 1 and 3 John for the trilogy. John's repeated emphasis on truth and love is the through-line.
Read 2 John on your iPhone
Read the full book of 2 John in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.
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