Letter · 1 chapters
2 John
Love must walk with truth about Jesus Christ. The letter addresses hospitality in a setting where traveling teachers depended on local communities.
Historical & literary context
The writer calls himself the elder, traditionally linked to John. The “elect lady” may be an individual or a personification of a church.
Introduction and study notes are commentary, not Scripture.
The shape of the book
- 1–3 · Greeting in truth and love
- 4–6 · Walking in love
- 7–13 · Discernment and hospitality
A passage to begin with
2 John 1:5-6
5And 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.
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain
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How can love remain generous without abandoning truth?