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 find some of your children living in the truth as the Father has commanded us. 5Dear lady, I’m now requesting that we continue to love each other. It’s not as though I’m writing to give you a new commandment. Rather, from the beginning we were commanded to love each other. Love means that we live by doing what he commands. We were commanded to live in love, and you have heard this from the beginning. 7Many people who deceive others have gone into the world. They refuse to declare that Jesus Christ came in flesh and blood. This is the mark of a deceiver and an antichrist. 8Be careful that you don’t destroy what we’ve worked for, but that you receive your full reward.

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 14:15“If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
• John 15:10If you obey my commandments, you will live in my love. I have obeyed my Father’s commandments, and in that way I live in his love.
• Romans 13:8Pay your debts as they come due. However, one debt you can never finish paying is the debt of love that you owe each other. The one who loves another person has fulfilled Moses’ Teachings.
• Galatians 5:13You were indeed called to be free, brothers and sisters. Don’t turn this freedom into an excuse for your corrupt nature to express itself. Rather, serve each other through love.
• 1 John 5:3To love God means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn’t difficult
• 2 John 1:5Dear lady, I’m now requesting that we continue to love each other. It’s not as though I’m writing to give you a new commandment. Rather, from the beginning we were commanded to love each other.
• 1 John 2:24Make sure that the message you heard from the beginning lives in you. If that message lives in you, you will also live in the Son and in 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