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 Living Translation (NLT)I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning.

Context of 2 John 1:5

3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you 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 some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 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. 6This 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. 7For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an 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

Words taken from the KJV.

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

Cross-references for 2 John 1:5

• 1 John 2:7Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
• 1 John 3:11For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
• John 13:34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also 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, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
• Hebrews 13:1Let brotherly love continue.
• 1 Peter 1:22Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
• 1 Peter 4:8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
• 2 Peter 1:7to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness 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, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is 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