2 John 1:10 kjv

If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

2 John 1:10 nkjv

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;

2 John 1:10 niv

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.

2 John 1:10 esv

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

2 John 1:10 nlt

If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.

2 John 1 verses

2 John 1 10 Meaning

Second John 1:10 prohibits extending hospitality and a welcoming greeting to individuals who come propagating doctrines contrary to the foundational truth of Christ. It means that true believers should not offer social or financial support that might implicitly endorse or further the work of those who deny essential Christian teachings, particularly regarding Christ's person and work. This injunction protects the truth and prevents believers from sharing in the errorist's "evil deeds."

2 John 1 10 Context

The Epistle of 2 John is a concise warning against false teachers, likely Gnostic-Docetists, who denied the true incarnation of Jesus Christ. Written by "the elder," likely the Apostle John, it is addressed to an "elect lady and her children," widely understood as either a literal Christian woman and her household or, more likely, a local church and its members. The primary theme is the crucial importance of "truth" and "love" – truth meaning adherence to apostolic doctrine, and love meaning loving one another as commanded by Christ. Verse 10 stands as a specific injunction stemming from this emphasis on truth: in an era where hospitality was vital for traveling missionaries, it warns against extending this customary support to those who undermine foundational Christian doctrine. Doing so would provide aid and comfort to their heretical mission, implicating the host in their "evil deeds" (v. 11).

2 John 1 10 Word analysis

• If (ἐάν - ean): A conditional particle, introducing a real possibility. It implies that such people will come.
• anyone (τις - tis): Indefinite pronoun, broad in scope, referring to any person who fits the described condition, regardless of apparent piety or personal charm.
• comes (ἔρχεται - erchetai): Present indicative, implying continued arrival or a pattern of movement, often in the context of traveling teachers.
• to you (πρὸς ὑμᾶς - pros hymas): Directed towards the recipients, either a specific church (the "elect lady") or individual believers within it. It indicates the proximity and direct encounter with these individuals.
• and does not bring (καὶ μὴ φέρει - kai mē pherei): A negative conjunction emphasizing the absence of something crucial. Pherei means "to carry" or "to bear," suggesting they are not transmitting or advocating the correct message.
• this (ταύτην - tautēn): Demonstrative pronoun, pointing back to the specific "doctrine" or teaching, implicitly defined by what John has already written about (the "truth" from the beginning, esp. 1 Jn 4:2-3, referring to Christ's full humanity and deity).
• doctrine (διδαχὴν - didachēn): A systematic teaching or instruction. Here, it refers to fundamental Christian teaching about the person and work of Christ. Its absence or corruption marks one as a false teacher.
• do not receive (μὴ λαμβάνετε - mē lambanete): Strong negative imperative ("do not by any means receive"). Lambanete means "to take," "to welcome," "to admit," or "to accept." This forbids formal or hospitable welcome.
• him (αὐτόν - auton): Referring to the person carrying the false doctrine.
• into your house (εἰς οἰκίαν - eis oikian): Crucial detail. In the ancient world, "receiving into your house" meant extending hospitality, which included providing lodging, food, and often financial support, especially for traveling teachers. This directly facilitated their mission.
• nor (μηδὲ - mēde): Another strong negative conjunction, reinforcing the previous prohibition and adding another layer.
• greet (χαίρετε - chairete): A standard formal Greek salutation, literally "rejoice." While sometimes used informally, here, coupled with the command not to receive into the house, it signifies a formal Christian greeting, acknowledging shared fellowship, common faith, and implied support or approval of the other's mission.

Words-group Analysis:

• "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine": This defines the target of the warning: individuals whose core teaching deviates from apostolic truth concerning Christ's person and work (e.g., Docetism, which denied His real humanity). It emphasizes doctrinal content over mere pleasant demeanor.
• "do not receive him into your house nor greet him": This is a powerful double prohibition, indicating complete non-association on a supportive or welcoming level. "Receiving into house" refers to extending practical, material hospitality, which in the context of traveling teachers, often included financial assistance for their travels and mission. "Greeting him" (χαίρετε) signifies a welcoming, fellowship-affirming salutation, especially significant among Christians. Together, they command active disengagement and refusal of partnership in their spiritual mission. It is not general social interaction, but support for their teaching. This injunction acts as a form of social excommunication from Christian circles, preventing the spread of heresy by denying its proponents access to platforms or resources within the Christian community.

2 John 1 10 Bonus section

The specific false teaching targeted by John was likely Docetism, a proto-Gnostic belief that Christ only "seemed" to have a human body and suffer, thus denying the full incarnation. This denial undermined the reality of the atonement and Christ's identity. For John, those who propagated such lies were considered antichrists (1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2-3), requiring a strong stance. The instruction here isn't against offering common charity to a person in need but specifically against extending a fellowship-based welcome to someone who aims to subvert the church's foundational truth. This sharp separation highlights that doctrinal integrity is non-negotiable for true Christian fellowship. The "elect lady" (the church) and "her children" (its members) are implicitly taught that safeguarding the truth is an act of love—for God, for the church, and for those who might otherwise be led astray.

2 John 1 10 Commentary

Second John 1:10 is a strong command for discernment and separation, emphasizing the grave importance of doctrinal purity. In the context of early Christianity, traveling teachers relied heavily on the hospitality of believers. John's injunction is not a call to general inhospitality but a precise directive: refuse hospitality and the common Christian greeting to those who introduce heretical doctrine, especially concerning the person of Christ (that "this doctrine" often refers to the confession of Jesus Christ having come in the flesh, as explicitly stated in 1 John 4:2-3). To extend such welcome or support would make the hosts complicit in the false teachers' "evil deeds" (2 Jn 1:11). This active refusal serves multiple purposes: it protects the local church from infiltration and spiritual deception, safeguards believers from implicitly endorsing error, and effectively curtails the spread of false teaching by denying it the resources and platforms it needs. It demonstrates that love for God and His truth sometimes necessitates strict boundaries. For example, if a "pastor" or "teacher" came teaching that Jesus was only a spirit and not truly human, or that salvation is achieved through secret knowledge, 2 John 1:10 would command true believers not to house, feed, or offer them formal fellowship, preventing them from using the church's resources to spread their destructive ideas.