2 John 1:6

2 John 1:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Context of 2 John 1:6

4I was very happy to hear about some of your children. I am happy because they are living in a good way. They are obeying the true message about God. They are doing what God our Father has told us to do. 5So now, dear lady, I want you to do something. I want all of us to love one another. I am not telling you a new command to obey. This is a command that we have had from the beginning. How do we show real love? We show it when we live in a way that makes God happy. We obey his commands. He tells us to love one another, and that is how you should live. You have heard that command from the beginning. 7I say this because many false teachers are travelling around everywhere. They do not agree that Jesus Christ was born as a human baby. People like that are telling lies. They are enemies of Christ. 8So be careful! Do not believe their lies. Do not lose the good things that we have worked for. Make sure that you receive all the good things that God has promised to give you.

2 John 1:6 word by word

καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη ἵνα περιπατῶμεν κατὰ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ. αὕτη ἡ ἐντολή ἐστιν καθὼς ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῇ περιπατῆτε·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• loveὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• loveἀγάπηagapē · loveG26
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• we walkπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the beginningἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722

Cross-references for 2 John 1:6

• John 14:15Jesus then said, ‘If you love me, do what I have told you to do.
• John 15:10If you obey what I have told you, you will be living in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed what my Father has told me to do. In that way, I live in his love.
• Romans 13:8Always pay your debts to people. The only debt that you should have is to love each other. Anyone who loves other people has obeyed God's Law completely.
• Galatians 5:13My Christian friends, God has chosen you to serve him as free people. But you are still weak and human. So you are not free to do anything that you might want to do. Instead, you must serve one another, because you love each other.
• 1 John 5:3Because, if we really love God, we will obey his commands. And those commands are not difficult for us to obey.
• 2 John 1:5So now, dear lady, I want you to do something. I want all of us to love one another. I am not telling you a new command to obey. This is a command that we have had from the beginning.
• 1 John 2:24As for you, always remember the true message that you heard at the beginning. If you continue to believe that message, you will continue to live with the Son and with the Father.

Commentaries on 2 John 1:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6And this is love - That is, our love is shown and proved by our walking according to the commandments of God; for love is the principle of obedience.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments - This is the proper expression or evidence of love to God. See the notes at John 14:15, John 14:21. This is the commandment - That is, this is his great and special commandment; the one by which his disciples are to be especially characterized, and by which they are to be distinguished in the world. See the notes at John 13:34.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. 4-11John now applies the truth and love that he mentioned in the introduction (1:1–3) to the situation of those he is writing to. Living in truth and love means maintaining unity or fellowship with true Christians (1:4–6). It also involves recognizing false teachers and choosing not to listen to or support them (1:7–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. "Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Ro 13:10), and the fulfilling of the law is the sure test of love. This is the commandment--Greek, "The commandment is this," namely, love, in which all God's other commandments are summed up.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 John 1:6

• Commandments
• Love
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• Love

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