2 John 1

2 John · Chapter 1

2 John 1:13

1The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;2For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.3Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.5And 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.6And 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.7For 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.8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.12Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.13The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
13The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.The children of your elect sister send you greetings.The children of thine elect sister salute thee.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

This is the last line of the letter. After saying he hopes to visit soon and talk face to face, the elder passes on greetings from the children of the reader's "elect sister." It closes the letter the way it opened, with family language for those who share the truth. 2 John 1:122 John 1:132 John 1:12 John overview

Speaking"The elder," who does not give his name. Early Christian tradition identifies him as John the apostle. Some scholars think he was a different church leader. 2 John 1:12 John overview

ToThe "elect lady," addressed here as "thee." She may be a Christian woman or a figurative name for a local church. The letter does not say which. 2 John 1:12 John 1:132 John overview

Also involvedThe children of the lady's "elect sister" are the ones sending the greeting. They are with the elder or known to him. 2 John 1:132 John overview

A closing greeting. The children of the elect sister send their respects, and the letter ends with "Amen." 2 John 1:13Strong's G0782Strong's G0281

The letter does not say where it was written. Early tradition places John's last years in Ephesus. The destination, a church or household the elder hoped to visit, was likely in the province of Asia. 2 John overview2 John 1:12

ACHAIAASIAGALATIAPHRYGIAAegean SeaEphesusPatmosSmyrnaPergamumThyatiraSardisPhiladelphiaLaodicea

The eventsThe greeting comes at the end of the letter, while the elder still hopes to visit in person. 2 John 1:122 John 1:13

WrittenTraditional view: about AD 85-95, late in John's life, around the time of 1 John. Scholarly view: most also place it in the late first century, though some think the elder was not the apostle. 2 John overview

HereThe greeting links the readers with another group of believers. It reminds them they belong to a wider family that shares the truth. 2 John 1:132 John 1:12 John 1:2

In the whole of ScriptureThe letter calls its readers to walk in truth and love and to refuse support to teachers who deny that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. The closing greeting shows the love between faithful believers that the letter urges. 2 John overview2 John 1:52 John 1:72 John 1:10

For readersBelievers in different places are tied together as family. Even a simple greeting can express the love of those who "have known the truth." 2 John 1:12 John 1:13Strong's G0079

Christians read this differently

Readers take the "elect sister" in two main ways. Some see a real Christian woman whose children send greetings. Others see a sister church and its members, much as 1 Peter 5:13 sends greetings from "the church that is at Babylon, elected together with you." The letter itself does not say which. 2 John 1:132 John 1:12 John overview1 Peter 5:13

  • electἐκλεκτός
    Greek · eklektos · G1588

    The word means chosen. It is used of Israel as chosen by God, of Christ, and of holy angels. So "elect sister" points to someone chosen by God, the same word used for the "elect lady" in verse 1. Strong's G15882 John 1:1

  • sisterἀδελφή
    Greek · adelphē · G0079

    It can mean a sister by birth. It is also used of a member of the Christian community, as in Romans 16:1. That second sense is part of why some read the sister as a fellow church or believer. Strong's G0079

  • greetἀσπάζομαι
    Greek · aspazomai · G0782

    It means to welcome, greet, or pay respects to someone. It was a standard term for passing on greetings at the end of a letter, which fits this closing line. Strong's G0782

  • childrenτέκνον
    Greek · teknon · G5043

    It means a child, someone begotten or born. It is also used as a kindly address from an elder to a junior or from a teacher to a disciple. So "children" may mean actual children or members of a fellowship. Strong's G5043

Takeaway

This verse is a warm closing greeting, not a teaching on its own. It shows that believers chosen by God, in different places, share one family in the truth. 2 John 1:132 John 1:1Strong's G1588

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-23.

The world around the text

Behind this verse

Letters to a household
Christians met in homes, so a letter to a believing family was often also a letter to the church that gathered there. Romans 16:51 Corinthians 16:19Philemon 1:2

About AD 85-95. Roman emperor: Domitian (AD 81-96). Where early tradition places John's last years. The greatest city of the province of Asia, on the west coast of today's Turkey.

Who ruled
  • Roman emperorDomitianAD 81-96

    Son of Vespasian and brother of Titus. Suetonius says he had himself styled "our Lord and God" in official letters. Early Christian writers say John was exiled to Patmos in his reign. Suetonius, Domitian 13Revelation 1:9Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3Eusebius, Church History 3.18

  • Roman emperorsNerva and TrajanAD 96-98, 98-117

    After Domitian was murdered in AD 96 the Senate chose the elderly Nerva, who adopted the general Trajan. Early tradition says John lived on in Ephesus into Trajan's reign. Suetonius, Domitian 14-17Cassius Dio, Roman History 68.1-4Irenaeus, Against Heresies 2.22.5

  • Governor of the province of AsiaThe proconsul of AsiaOne-year terms

    Asia was governed by a proconsul appointed for a year at a time, who heard cases in its leading cities, Ephesus among them. Acts 19:38Strabo, Geography 17.3.25

  • King of ParthiaPacorus IIc. AD 78-110

    Ruler of the Parthian empire beyond the Euphrates, Rome's great rival in the east, at peace with Rome through these years. Cassius Dio, Roman History 68.17

What was happening, AD 70 to AD 96
  1. AD 70
    WarJerusalem and its temple destroyed

    Roman armies under Titus took Jerusalem after a long siege and burned the temple, as Jesus had foretold. Josephus, Jewish War 6.249-287Luke 21:5-6Luke 21:20-24

  2. August AD 79
    DisasterVesuvius buries Pompeii

    The eruption of Vesuvius buried Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pliny the Younger watched it from across the bay; his uncle Pliny the Elder died trying to rescue people. Pliny the Younger, Letters 6.16, 6.20

  3. AD 80
    BuildingThe Colosseum opens in Rome

    Titus opened the great amphitheater begun by his father Vespasian with 100 days of games. Suetonius, Titus 7.3Cassius Dio, Roman History 66.25

  4. AD 83 or 84
    WarRome's furthest push into Britain

    The governor Agricola defeated the Caledonians at Mons Graupius in what is now Scotland, and his fleet sailed around the north of Britain. Tacitus, Agricola 29-38

  5. AD 85-89
    WarWar with the Dacians

    The Dacians crossed the Danube and killed a Roman governor. After years of fighting, Domitian made a peace that paid their king Decebalus a yearly subsidy. Suetonius, Domitian 6Cassius Dio, Roman History 67.6-7

  6. c. AD 89
    BuildingEphesus builds a temple to the emperors

    Ephesus won the honor of a provincial temple for the worship of the emperors, the Temple of the Sebastoi, with a colossal statue of an emperor. Its remains stand in the city's upper square. Temple of the Sebastoi, Ephesus (excavated remains and inscriptions)

  7. AD 93-94
    DiscoveryJosephus finishes his history of the Jews

    In Rome the Jewish historian Josephus completed his Antiquities of the Jews, which mentions John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and Jesus himself. Josephus, Antiquities 20.267Josephus, Antiquities 18.116-119, 20.200

  8. c. AD 95
    The churchJohn on Patmos

    John was on the island of Patmos "for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" when he received the Revelation. Early writers date this to the end of Domitian's reign. Revelation 1:9Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3

  9. c. AD 96
    The churchClement of Rome writes to Corinth

    The church at Rome sent a letter, traditionally by Clement, to settle a dispute at Corinth where younger members had removed their elders. It is one of the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament. 1 Clement 1, 44, 47

  10. September AD 96
    RulersDomitian is murdered

    Domitian was killed in a palace plot. The Senate condemned his memory and chose Nerva as emperor. Suetonius, Domitian 14-17, 23

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient writers on these years (Suetonius, Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Josephus, Pliny, Irenaeus, Eusebius). The letter names no place, so the setting follows early tradition. Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
GreetἀσπάζεταίaspazetaiG0782
to pay respects to

ἀσπάζομαι (aspazomai) ἀσπάζομαι depon., [in LXX: Eze.18:7, Jdg.18:15 (שָׁלוֹם שָׁאַל), Est.5:2, 1Ma.7:29, al. ;] to welcome, greet, salute: with accusative of person(s), Mat.5:47, Mrk.9:15, Act.21:7, al.; id. before ἐν φιλήματι, Rom.16:16, 1Co.16:20, 2Co.13:12, 1Th.5:26, 1Pe.5:14; τ. ἐκκλησίαν (Deiss., BS, 257), Act.18:22; as term. tech. for conveying greetings at the end of a letter (MM, see word), used by an amanuensis (Milligan, NTD, 23), Rom.16:22 (on the aoristic Pres., here and elsewhere, see M, Pr., 119; Bl., § 56, 4); κατήντησαν . . . ἀσπασάμενοι (on this constr., see El., § 58, 4; M, Pr., 132, 238), Act. …

youσεseG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

childrenτέκναteknaG5043
child

τέκνον (teknon) τέκνον, -ου, τό (τίκτω), [in LXX chiefly for בֵּן, also for יֶלֶד, etc. ;] that which is begotten, born (cf. Scottish bairn), a child of either sex: Mrk.13:12, Luk.1:7, Act.7:5; pl., Mat.7:11, Mrk.7:27, Luk.1:17, Eph.6:1, al.; τέκνα ἐπαγγελίας, Rom.9:8; τ. τῆς σαρκός, ib.; in a wider sense (as Heb. בָּנִים), of posterity, Mat.2:18, Luk.3:8, al.; specif., of a male child, Mat.21:28, Act.21:21, a,l.; in voc. as a form of kindly address from an elder to a junior or from a teacher to a disciple, Mat.9:2 21:28, Mrk.2:5, Luk.2:48; τ. μου (= cl. τ. μοι; see Bl., §37, 5), Gal.4:19 (τεκνία, WH, txt.) …

sisterἀδελφῆςadelphēsG0079
sister

ἀδελφή (adelphē) ἀδελφή, -ῆς, ἡ (ἀδελφός), [in LXX for אָהוֹת ;] a sister: Mat.19:29, al.; metaphorically (MM, VGT, see word), of a member of the Christian community: Rom.16:1, 1Co.7:15 Jas.21:15, al. (AS)

of youσουsouG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

electἐκλεκτῆςeklektēsG1588
select

ἐκλεκτός (eklektos) ἐκ-λεκτός, -ή, -όν (ἐκλέγω), [in LXX for בָּחַר (so prob. in Isa.28:16, Pro.17:3, for MT בָּחַן), בָּרִיא, etc. ;] 1. choice, select (cl., rarely; Thuc., Plat., al.), hence, eminent: Rom.16:13 (cf. Eze.27:24). 2. As in Inscr. (MM, Exp., xii), chosen; esp. as in LXX, of Israel, elect, chosen of God (Isa.65:9, Psa.105:43, al.); so in NT; (a) of Christ: Luk.23:35 (cf. Isa.42:1); figuratively, λίθος, 1Pe.2:4-6 (LXX); (b) of holy angels: 1Ti.5:21; …

Amen.ἀμήν.¶amēnG0281
amen

ἀμήν (amēn) ἀμήν, indecl. (Heb. אָמֵן, verbal adj. fr. אמן, to prop. ni., be firm), [in LXX: 1Ch.16:36, I Est.9:46, Neh.5:13 8:6, Tob.8:8 14:15, 3Ma.7:23, 4Ma.18:24 (elsewhere ''א is rendered ἀληθινός, Isa.65:16; ἀληθῶς, Je 35 (28):6; γένοιτο, Num.5:22, Deu.27:15ff., 3Ki.1:36, Psa.40 (41):13 71 (72):19 105 (106):48, Jer.11:5)*.] 1. As adj. (cf. Is, l.with), ὁ ἀ., Rev.3:14. 2. As adv., (a) in solemn assent to the statements or prayers of another (Nu, Ne, etc., ll. with): ὁ ἀ., 1Co.14:16; (b) similarly, at the end of one's own prayer or ascription of praise: Rom.1:25 15:33, Gal.1:5, 1Ti.1:17; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.