2 John 1:5
Parallel Verses
New International Version
And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.


English Standard Version
And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.


New American Standard Bible
Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.


King James Bible
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.


Holman Christian Standard Bible
So now I urge you, dear lady--not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another.


International Standard Version
Dear lady, I am now requesting of you that we all continue to love one another. It is not as though I am writing to give you a new commandment, but one that we have had from the beginning.


American Standard Version
And 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.


Douay-Rheims Bible
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing a new commandment to thee, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.


Darby Bible Translation
And 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.


Young's Literal Translation
and 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,


Commentaries
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 walk is true, our converse right, when according to the word of God. This commandment of mutual Christian love, may be said to be a new one, in respect of its being declared by the Lord Christ; yet, as to the matter, it is old. And this is love to our own souls, that we obey the Divine commands. The foresight of the decay of this love, as well as of other apostacies, or fallings away, might engage the apostle to urge this duty, and this command, frequently and earnestly.

5. I beseech—rather (compare Note, see on [2654]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 [2655]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.

2 John 1:4
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