Second Letter of John

Second John is the second of three short letters attributed to John. It is a letter written to urge a congregation to continue in love and truth, and warns against extending hospitality to teachers who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh.

Who Wrote the Second Letter of John, and Why?

Second John was written in a setting much like 1 John. The author calls himself “the elder.” He writes to "the chosen lady and her children" (2 John 1:1). The "chosen lady" is probably a church. Her "children" are probably the members of that church. The final greeting from "your elect sister" also supports this view (verse 13).

This church faced the same false teachings that 1 John speaks against. The letter rejects these false teachings. It also warns the church not to welcome the people who teach them.

The grammar, style, and words in 2 John are very similar to 1 John. Eight of the 13 verses in 2 John are almost the same as verses in 1 John.

We do not have enough information to know when 2 John was written. Because it is so similar to 1 John, it was probably written around the same time.

What Is the Message of the Second Letter of John?

The letter has two main messages:

1. It urges the Christian community members to love one another (verse 5). He then explains what love means. Love means obeying God’s commandments (verse 6).

2. The more urgent message warns against dishonest people who deny Christ and try to convince others to do the same. John tells the church to be careful. Love does not mean welcoming people who reject Christ and spread false teaching (verses 8–11). These deceivers are probably the same false teachers described in 1 John.

The letter ends with a promise to visit in person. The purpose of the visit is to make their joy complete (see 1 John 1:4).

See also Letters of John.