2 John 1 · Verse 5

2 John 1:5

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.
2 John 1:5, King James Version

2 John 1:5 in other translations

BSBAnd 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.
WEBNow I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
ASVAnd now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
YLTand now I beseech thee, Kyria, not as writing to thee a new command, but which we had from the beginning, that we may love one another,
DARBYAnd now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing to thee a new commandment, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we should love one another.
BBEAnd now, my sister, I make a request to you, not sending you a new law, but the law which we had from the first, that we have love for one another.
WebsterAnd now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

What does 2 John 1:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. 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 performs both tables of the law, and is the end of the law and the Gospel alike (compare Notes, see on 1Jo 2:7, 8). that we--implying that he already had love, and urging her to join him in the same Christian grace. This verse seems to me to decide that a Church, not an individual lady, is meant. For a man to urge a woman ("THEE"; not thee and thy children) that he and she should love one another, is hardly like an apostolic precept, however pure may be the love enjoined; but all is clear if "the lady" represent a Church.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 5. And now I beseech thee, lady. Or, "And now I entreat thee, Cyria" (κυρια.) See Intro. & 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 commanament unto thee. John presumed that the command to love one another was understood as far as the gospel was known; and he might well presume it, for true Christianity never prevails anywhere without prompting to the observance of this law. 1Thes 4:9.

But that which we had from the beginning. From the time when the gospel was first made known to us. 1Jn 2:7; 1Jn 2:11.

That we love one another. That is, that there be among the disciples of Christ mutual love; or that in all circumstances and relations they should love one another, Jn 15:12,17. This general command, addressed to all the disciples of the Saviour, John doubtless means to say was as applicable to him and to the pious female to whom he wrote as to any others, and ought to be exercised by them towards all true Christians; and he exhorts her, as he did all Christians, to exercise it. It was a command on which, in his old age, he loved to dwdl; and he had little more to say to her than this to exhort her to obey this injunction of the Saviour.

(a) "Love one another" 1Jn 3:23

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 That 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 John 1:4-6

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…

Read the full comment on 2 John 1:4-6 →

2 John 1:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
νῦνnunnowG3568
ἐρωτῶerōtōI imploreG2065
σε,seyou,G4771
κυρία,kurialady,G2959
οὐχouchnotG3756
ὡςhōsasG5613
ἐντολὴνentolēna commandmentG1785
καινὴνkainēnnewG2537
γράφωνgraphōnI am writingG1125
σοι,soito youG4771
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ἣνhēnthat whichG3739
εἴχομενeichomenwe have hadG2192
ἀπ᾽ap᾽fromG575
ἀρχῆς,archēs[the] beginning,G746
ἵναinathatG2443
ἀγαπῶμενagapōmenwe may loveG25
ἀλλήλους.allēlousone another.G240

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 John 1:5

  • 1 John 3:11

    For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

  • John 15:12

    This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

  • John 13:34-35

    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:9

    But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

  • 1 John 3:23

    And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

  • 1 John 4:20

    If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

  • 1 Peter 4:8

    And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

  • 1 John 3:14-18

    We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? …

  • 1 John 2:7-8

    Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

  • 2 Peter 1:7

    And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

  • Hebrews 13:1

    Let brotherly love continue.

  • Ephesians 5:2

    And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
not.
1Jo 2:7,8; 3:11
that we.
Joh 13:34,35; 15:12; Ga 5:22; Eph 5:2; 1Th 4:9; Heb 13:1
1Pe 1:22,23; 4:8; 2Pe 1:7; 1Jo 3:14-18,23; 4:7-12,20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 John 1:4

    I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

  • 2 John 1:5

    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.

  • 2 John 1:6

    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.

Read all of 2 John 1

2 John 1:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ahora te ruego, señora, no como escribiéndote un nuevo mandamiento, sino aquel que nosotros hemos tenido desde el principio, que nos amemos unos á otros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or maintenant, ô dame, je te prie, non comme t’écrivant un nouveau commandement, mais celui que nous avons eu dès le commencement, que nous nous aimions les uns les autres:
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und nun bitte ich dich, Frau, nicht als ob ich ein neues Gebot dir schriebe, sondern das, welches wir von Anfang gehabt haben: daß wir einander lieben sollen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nunc rogo te domina, non tamquam mandatum novum scribens tibi, sed quod habuimus ab initio, ut diligamus alterutrum.