2 John 1 · Verse 7

2 John 1:7

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 John 1:7, King James Version

2 John 1:7 in other translations

BSB	For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
WEB	For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist.
ASV	For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
YLT	because many leading astray did enter into the world, who are not confessing Jesus Christ coming in flesh; this one is he who is leading astray, and the antichrist.
DARBY	For many deceivers have gone out into the world, they who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in flesh — this is the deceiver and the antichrist.
BBE	Because a number of false teachers have gone out into the world, who do not give witness that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Such a one is a false teacher and Antichrist.
Webster	For many deceivers have entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver, and an antichrist.

What does 2 John 1:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. As love and truth go hand in hand (2Jo 3, 4), he feels it needful to give warning against teachers of untruth. For--giving the reason why he dwelt on truth and on love, which manifests itself in keeping God's commandments (2Jo 6). many--(1Jo 2:18; 4:1). are entered--The oldest manuscripts read, "have gone forth," namely, from us. confess not ... Jesus ... in the flesh--the token of Antichrist. is come--Greek, "coming." He who denies Christ's coming in the flesh, denies the possibility of the incarnation; he who denies that he has come, denies its actuality. They denied the possibility of a Messiah's appearing, or coming, in the flesh [Neander]. I think the Greek present participle implies both the first and the second advent of Christ. He is often elsewhere called the Coming One (Greek), Mt 11:3; He 10:37. The denial of the reality of His manifestation in the flesh, at His first coming, and of His personal advent again, constitutes Antichrist. "The world turns away from God and Christ, busily intent upon its own husks; but to OPPOSE God and Christ is of the leaven of Satan" [Bengel]. This is a, &c.--Greek, "This (such a one as has been just described) is the deceiver and the Antichrist." The many who in a degree fulfil the character, are forerunners of the final personal Antichrist, who shall concentrate in himself all the features of previous Antichristian systems.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. For. οτι. This word for is not here to be regarded as connected with the previous verse, and as giving a reason why there should be the exercise of mutual love, but is rather to be under- stood as connected with the following verse, (2Jn 1:8,) and as giving a reason for the caution there expressed: "Because it is a truth that many deceivers have appeared, or since it has occurred that many such are abroad, look to yourselves lest you be betrayed and ruined." The fact that there were many such deceivers was a good reason for being constantly on their guard, lest they should be so far drawn away as not to receive a full reward.

Many deceivers are entered into the world. Are abroad in the world, or have appeared among men. Several Mss. read here, "have gone out into the world," εξηλθον, instead of "have entered into εισηλθον. The common reading is the correct one, and the other was originated, probably, from the unusual form of the expression, "have come into the world," as if they had come from another abode. That, however, is not necessarily implied, the language being such as would be properly used to denote the idea that there were such deceivers in the world.

Who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Who maintain that he assumed the appearance only of a man, and was not really incarnate. 1Jn 1:2, 1Jn 1:3.

This is a deceiver. Every one who maintains this is to be regarded as a deceiver. And an antichrist. 1Jn 2:18; 1Jn 4:3.

(c) "many deceivers" 1Jn 4:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 For many deceivers, etc. - Of these he had spoken before, see 1Jn 4:1, etc. And these appear to have been Gnostics, for they denied that Jesus was come in the flesh. And this doctrine, so essential to salvation, none could deny but a deceiver and an antichrist. Instead of εισηλθον are entered in, many excellent MSS. and versions have εξηλθον, are gone out. The sense is nearly the same.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 John 1:7-11

The deceiver and his deceit are described: he brings some error concerning the person or office of the Lord Jesus. Such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist; he deludes souls, and undermines the glory and kingdom of the Lord Christ. Let us not think it strange, that there are deceivers and opposers of the Lord Christ's name and dignity now, for there were such, even in the apostles' times. The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one. Let us equally disregard such as abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and those who transgress his commands. Any who did not profess and preach the doctrine of Christ, respecting him as the Son of God, and salvation by him from guilt and sin, were not to be noticed and countenanced. Yet in obeying this command, we must show kindness and a good spirit to those who differ from us in lesser matters, but hold firmly the all-important doctrines of Christ's person, atonement, and holy salvation.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 John 1:7 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.

ὅτιhotiForG3754

πολλοὶpolloimanyG4183

πλάνοιplanoideceiversG4108

ἐξῆλθονexēlthonhave gone outG1831

εἰςeisintoG1519

τὸνtontheG3588

κόσμον,kosmonworld,G2889

οἱhoithoseG3588

μὴmēnotG3361

ὁμολογοῦντεςhomologountesconfessingG3670

ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424

ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547

ἐρχόμενονerchomenoncomingG2064

ἐνeninG1722

σαρκί·sarkiflesh;G4561

οὗτόςhoutosThisG3778

ἐστινestinisG1510

ὁhotheG3588

πλάνοςplanosdeceiverG4108

καὶkaiandG2532

ὁhotheG3588

ἀντίχριστος.antichristosantichrist.G500

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

Cross references for 2 John 1:7

1 John 4:1-3
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1 John 2:26
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1 John 2:18-22
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. …
2 Peter 2:1-3
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
John 1:14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 13:14
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

many.
2Pe 2:1-3; 1Jo 2:18-22; 4:1
who.
Joh 1:14; 1Ti 3:16; 1Jo 4:2; Re 12:9; 13:14
This is.
1Jo 2:22; 4:3

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

Context

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.
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2 John 1:8
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Read all of 2 John 1

2 John 1:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Porque muchos engañadores son entrados en el mundo, los cuales no confiesan que Jesucristo ha venido en carne. Este tal el engañador es, y el anticristo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	car plusieurs séducteurs sont sortis dans le monde, ceux qui ne confessent pas Jésus Christ venant en chair: celui-là est le séducteur et l’antichrist.
German Elberfelder 1871	Denn viele Verführer sind in die Welt ausgegangen, die nicht Jesum Christum im Fleische kommend bekennen; dies ist der Verführer und der Antichrist.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quoniam multi seductores exierunt in mundum, qui non confitentur Jesum Christum venisse in carnem: hic est seductor, et antichristus.