The Apostle commends Electa and her family for their
steadfastness in the true faith and exhorts them to
persevere, lest they lose the reward of their labours. He
exhorts them to love one another. But with heretics to have
no society, even not to salute them. Although this Epistle
is written to a particular person, yet its instructions may
serve as a lesson to others, especially to those who, from
their connections, situation, or condition in life, are in
danger of perversion.
2 John Chapter 1
He recommends walking in truth, loving one another and to
beware of false teachers.
1:1. The Ancient to the lady Elect and her children, whom I
love in the truth: and not I only, but also all they that
have known the truth,
The ancient... That is, the ancient bishop St. John, being
the only one of the twelve apostles then living. To the
lady Elect... Some conjecture that Electa might be the
name of a family, or of a particular church; but the
general opinion is, that it is the proper name of a lady,
so eminent for her piety and great charity, as to merit
this Epistle from St. John.
1:2. For the sake of the truth which dwelleth in us and
shall be with us for ever.
1:3. Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father
and from Christ Jesus the Son of the Father: in truth and
charity.
1:4. I was exceeding glad that I found of thy children
walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from
the Father.
1:5. 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.
1:6. And this is charity: That we walk according to his
commandments. For this is the commandment that, as you have
heard from the beginning, you should walk in the same:
1:7. For many seducers are gone out into the world who
confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is
a seducer and an antichrist.
1:8. Look to yourselves, that you lose not the things which
you have wrought: but that you may receive a full reward.
1:9. Whosoever revolteth and continueth not in the doctrine
of Christ hath not God. He that continueth in the doctrine,
the same hath both the Father and the Son.
1:10. If any man come to you and bring not this doctrine,
receive him not into the house nor say to him: God speed
you.
Nor say to him, God speed you... This admonition is in
general, to forewarn the faithful of the dangers which may
arise from a familiarity with those who have prevaricated
and gone from the true faith, and with such as teach false
doctrine. But this is not forbidding a charity for all men,
by which we ought to wish and pray for the eternal
salvation of every one, even of our enemies.
1:11. For he that saith unto him: God speed you,
communicateth with his wicked works.
1:12. Having more things to write unto you, I would not by
paper and ink: for I hope that I shall be with you and
speak face to face, that your joy may be full.
1:13. The children of thy sister Elect salute thee.
The text in this file was taken with permission from Catholic Software's Douay Bible program, a complete multimedia Bible for the PC. The complete product description follows:
Douay Bible ME: A multimedia Bible. Text and footnotes are from the 1899 version of the Douay-Rheims Bible. Supports unlimited cut and paste as well as searches. It also has a concordance, topical index, and maps. These features make it powerful and easy to use. Music and color photography make it a visual and auditory feast. However, if your computer doesn't support multimedia, you can suppress these features at installation time. Available for DOS, Windows, or Windows 95. $85.00. Order from: Catholic Software, P.O. Box 1914, Murray, KY 42071. Phone: 1-502-753-8198.
