2 John 1:5

2 John 1:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.

Context of 2 John 1:5

3Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, will be with us in truth and love. 4I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us. And now I urge you, dear lady—not as a new commandment to you, but 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 very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love. 7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

2 John 1:5 word by word

καὶ νῦν ἐρωτῶ σε, κυρία, οὐχ ὡς ἐντολὴν γράφων σοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἣν εἴχομεν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς, ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους.Read the interlinear

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• I urgeἐρωτάωerōtaō · to askG2065
• youσύsu · youG4771
• ladyΚυρίαKuria · ladyG2959
• notοὐou · noG3756
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• ·γράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• we have hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• we loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• one anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240

Cross-references for 2 John 1:5

• 1 John 2:7Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard.
• 1 John 3:11This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
• John 13:34A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
• John 15:12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
• Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Ephesians 5:2and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
• Hebrews 13:1Continue in brotherly love.
• 1 Peter 1:22Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
• 1 Peter 4:8Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
• 2 Peter 1:7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
• 1 John 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death.
• 1 John 4:7Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Commentaries on 2 John 1:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5That which we had from the beginning - The commandment to love one another was what they had heard from the first publication of Christianity, and what he wishes this excellent woman to inculcate on all those under her care. The mode of address here shows that it was a person, not a Church, to which the apostle wrote.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And now I beseech thee, lady - Dr, “And now I entreat thee, Kyria,” ( ́ kuriaSee the introduction, Section 2. If this was her proper name, there is no impropriety in supposing that he would address her in this familiar style. John was probably then a very old man; the female to whom the Epistle was addressed was doubtless much younger. Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee - John presumed that the command to love one another was understood as…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 It is good to be trained to early religion; and children may be beloved for their parents' sake. It gave great joy to the apostle to see children treading in their parents' steps, and likely in their turn to support the gospel. May God bless such families more and more, and raise up many to copy their example. How pleasing the contrast to numbers who spread irreligion, infidelity, and vice, among their children! Our walk is true, our converse…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5I urge you, dear lady: See study note on 1:1.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. I beseech--rather (compare Note, see on 1Jo 5:16), "I request thee," implying some degree of authority. not ... new commandment--It was old in that Christians heard it from the first in the Gospel preaching; new, in that the Gospel rested love on the new principle of filial imitation of God who first loved us, and gave Jesus to die for us; and also, in that love is now set forth with greater clearness than in the Old Testament dispensation. Love…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 John 1:5

• Commandments
• Love

In the dictionaries

• New Commandment

Commentaries on 2 John 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings