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 shall be with you, mercy, peace from God [the] Father, and from [the] Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4I rejoiced greatly that I have found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing to thee a new commandment, but that which we have had from [the] beginning, that we should love one another. 6And this is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, according as ye have heard from the beginning, that ye might walk in it. 7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, they who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in flesh — this 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

• nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
• ladyΚυρίαKuria · ladyG2959
• writingγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• newκαινόςkainos · newG2537
• commandmentἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• oneἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240

Cross-references for 2 John 1:5

• 1 John 2:7Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment, which ye have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye heard.
• 1 John 3:11For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
• John 13:34A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
• John 15:12This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
• Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity,
• Ephesians 5:2and walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9Now concerning brotherly love ye have no need that we should write to you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
• Hebrews 13:1Let brotherly love abide.
• 1 Peter 1:22Having purified your souls by obedience to the truth to unfeigned brotherly love, love one another out of a pure heart fervently;
• 1 Peter 4:8but before all things having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins;
• 2 Peter 1:7in godliness brotherly love, in brotherly love love:
• 1 John 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [his] brother abides in death.
• 1 John 4:7Beloved, let us love one another; because love is of God, and every one that loves has been begotten 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