2 John 1:5

Contextual Overview

⁵So now I ask 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. ⁵ And now, I beseech thee Lady, not as though I wrote a new commandement vnto thee: but that which wee had from the beginning, that wee loue one another. ⁵ 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. ⁵ 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. ⁵ 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.⁵ And now, dear lady, this is not a new command but is the same command we have had from the beginning. I ask you that we all love each other. ⁵ 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.⁵And now I urge you, dear lady-not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning-that we love one another.⁵ Dear friend, I am not writing to tell you and your children to do something you have not done before. I am writing to tell you to love each other, which is the first thing you were told to do. ⁵ And now, dear lady, I am requesting that we love one another — not as if this were a new command I am writing you, for it is the one which we have had from the beginning.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

not: 1 John 2:7, 1 John 2:8, 1 John 3:11

that we: John 13:34, John 13:35, John 15:12, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, Hebrews 13:1, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 Peter 1:23, 1 Peter 4:8, 2 Peter 1:7, 1 John 3:14-18, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:7-12, 1 John 4:20

Reciprocal: Ephesians 4:1 - beseech 1 John 2:24 - which 2 John 1:1 - the elect lady 2 John 1:6 - This is the

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the vaulted dome "heaven." And there was evening, and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God named the air "sky." Evening passed, and morning came. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "sky." There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse [of sky] heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse "heaven." And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the firmament Heauen. So the Euening and the morning were the seconde day.

Genesis 1:8
And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And now I beseech thee, lady,.... Or "Kyria", which word the Syriac and Arabic versions retain, as if it was a proper name: the apostle having finished the inscription, salutation, and congratulation in the preceding verses, passes to an exhortation and entreaty to observe the commandment of love to one another, which is not a new commandment, but what was from the beginning:

not as though I wrote a new commandment, &c. :- and :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And now I beseech thee, lady - Dr, “And now I entreat thee, Kyria,” (κυρία kuria.) See the introduction, Section 2. If this was her proper name, there is no impropriety in supposing that he would address her in this familiar style. John was probably then a very old man; the female to whom the Epistle was addressed was doubtless much younger.

Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee - John presumed that the command to love one another was understood as far as the gospel was known; and he might well presume it, for true Christianity never prevails anywhere without prompting to the observance of this law. See the notes at 1 Thessalonians 4:9.

But that which we had from the beginning - From the time when the gospel was first made known to us. See the notes at 1 John 2:7; 1 John 3:11.

That we love one another - That is, that there be among the disciples of Christ mutual love; or that in all circumstances and relations they should love one another, John 15:12, John 15:17. This general command, addressed to all the disciples of the Saviour, John doubtless means to say was as applicable to him and to the pious female to whom he wrote as to any others, and ought to be exercised by them toward all true Christians; and he exhorts her, as he did all Christians, to exercise it. It was a command upon which, in his old age, he loved to dwell; and he had little more to say to her than this, to exhort her to obey this injunction of the Saviour.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 John 1:5. That which we had from the beginning — The commandment to love one another was what they had heard from the first publication of Christianity, and what he wishes this excellent woman to inculcate on all those under her care. The mode of address here shows that it was a person, not a Church, to which the apostle wrote.