The Book of 2 John

2 John, a brief letter of just thirteen verses, urges a church 'lady and her children' to walk in truth and love and to guard against deceivers who deny Christ.

Testament

New (1 chapters)

Type

Epistle

Date

Probably 85-95 AD.

Truth and love together

John refuses to separate truth from love — 'truth, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love' (2-3). Both, not either.

Boundaries against false teaching

John warns about teachers who 'confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh' — a denial of the incarnation. His instruction is sharp: don't host them, don't even greet them as fellow workers (10-11). Love does not require endorsing every claim.

Key verses (KJV)

“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.” — 2 John 1:6 (KJV)

“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth.” — 2 John 1:4 (KJV)

“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” — 2 John 1:8 (KJV)

How to read 2 John

Thirteen verses — read in two minutes. Read alongside 1 and 3 John for the trilogy. John's repeated emphasis on truth and love is the through-line.

Read 2 John on your iPhone

Read the full book of 2 John in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.

More New Testament books

• The Book of 3 John
• The Book of Jude
• The Book of Revelation
• The Book of Matthew
• The Book of Mark

From the blog

Frequently asked questions

What is the Book of 2 John about?

2 John is a book of Epistle, running to 1 chapter. Its main threads: Truth and love together; Boundaries against false teaching.

Who wrote the Book of 2 John?

'The elder' — traditionally John the apostle.

Where does 2 John come in the Bible?

2 John is one of the 27 books of the New Testament in the Protestant canon, grouped with the Epistle books. You can walk the canon in order using the previous and next links on this page.