2 John 1:7 kjv

For 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.

2 John 1:7 nkjv

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 John 1:7 niv

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

2 John 1:7 esv

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

2 John 1:7 nlt

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 John 1 verses

2 John 1 7 Meaning

This verse declares that many false teachers, characterized by their denial of the true incarnation of Jesus Christ, have already spread throughout the world. John identifies such individuals as not just deceivers, but embodying the spirit of the Antichrist. This specific theological error—rejecting that Jesus Christ genuinely came in human flesh—is presented as the defining mark of those who oppose the fundamental truth of the gospel.

2 John 1 7 Context

The Second Epistle of John is the shortest book in the New Testament, likely written around the same time as First John, in the late 1st century. It is addressed to "the elect lady and her children," which some interpret as a specific Christian woman and her family, while others understand it metaphorically as a local church and its members. The letter balances two main themes: the command to walk in love and truth (v. 4-6) and a strong warning against false teachers (v. 7-11). Verse 7 explains why the warning and the instruction to refuse hospitality to false teachers are crucial. The historical context reveals the presence of early Gnostic or Docetic ideas, which claimed that Jesus only seemed to have a physical body, denying His true humanity. This was a profound threat to the core doctrines of the Incarnation and Atonement, as a non-human Jesus could not truly suffer and die for humanity's sins. John writes to protect the recipients from this specific, insidious heresy.

2 John 1 7 Word analysis

• For (ὅτι - hoti): This conjunction introduces the reason or explanation for John's preceding exhortations. It connects the danger of false teaching to the need for love, truth, and vigilance.
• many (πολλοὶ - polloi): Signifies that the threat of these false teachers is not isolated but widespread and significant, indicating a pervasive problem in the early Christian communities.
• deceivers (πλάνοι - planoi): From a root meaning "to wander, lead astray." These individuals are not simply mistaken; they actively mislead and intentionally cause others to stray from the truth. They are imposters and seducers.
• have gone out (ἐξῆλθον - exēlthon): An aorist verb, indicating a definite past action that has ongoing implications. It suggests that these individuals originated from within Christian circles (cf. 1 Jn 2:19), but have since left or been sent out to spread their error.
• into the world (εἰς τὸν κόσμον - eis ton kosmon): Indicates the sphere of their activity; their influence is not confined but extends into the broader human society, aiming to infiltrate and deceive believers everywhere. "The world" can denote humanity alienated from God, which these deceivers now permeate.
• who do not confess (μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες - mē homologountes): A present active participle, describing their continuous and defining characteristic. The negation (μὴ - mē) implies a willful, active denial, not mere ignorance. To "confess" (ὁμολογέω - homologeō) means to agree with, acknowledge, or publicly declare a truth. Their refusal to do so is a fundamental rejection.
• Jesus Christ (Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν - Iēsoun Christon): Refers to the Lord as both His personal name (Jesus) and His messianic title (Christ). The complete identity of the God-man is in view.
• coming in the flesh (ἐρχόμενον ἐν σαρκί - erchomenon en sarki): This is the specific point of contention. "Coming" (ἐρχόμενον - erchomenon), a present participle, best understood as "having come" or "having arrived," signifying His historical incarnation that defines His person. "In the flesh" (ἐν σαρκί - en sarki) emphasizes His genuine humanity, a true, material, and physical body. This directly refutes Docetism, which taught that Jesus only seemed to be human or that His divine nature could not truly inhabit evil material flesh. John asserts that the divine Son of God took on full human nature.
• This (οὗτός - houtos): A demonstrative pronoun, emphatically pointing directly to the specific type of person described in the preceding phrase—one who denies the incarnation.
• is the deceiver (ἐστιν ὁ πλάνος - estin ho planos): A strong declaration identifying the one characterized by this denial. The definite article "the" (ὁ - ho) emphasizes that this denial is a definitive mark of the deceiver, not merely a minor error.
• and the antichrist (καὶ ὁ ἀντίχριστος - kai ho antichristos): Connects this specific heresy directly to the ultimate opposition against Christ. "Antichrist" signifies someone "against Christ" or "in place of Christ." This term elevates the severity of the error, marking it as fundamentally hostile to the true Christ and His gospel.

Words-group Analysis

• "many deceivers have gone out into the world": This phrase paints a picture of an active and widespread mission of false teachers, emphasizing that the danger is not theoretical or isolated, but present and pervasive. They are actively infiltrating and misleading, posing a clear and present threat to believers.
• "who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh": This specific clause functions as the litmus test for discerning true teachers from false ones. Their refusal to acknowledge the true, historical, physical incarnation of Jesus Christ is the critical theological error. It undermines the very person of Christ as both fully God and fully man, a necessary condition for the atonement and salvation.
• "This is the deceiver and the antichrist": This is a powerful, authoritative statement. John declares that the denial of the incarnate Christ is the hallmark of genuine deception, marking those who propagate such teaching as embodying the very spirit of antagonism to Christ. It implies that this specific false doctrine is not merely a different interpretation but a direct attack from the "antichrist" camp.

2 John 1 7 Bonus section

• The emphasis on "coming" (ἐρχόμενον) as a present participle can carry additional implications beyond simply His historical advent. Some scholars suggest it could also hint at a denial of the genuine nature of Christ's future coming (Parousia) or His continuous abiding in humanity.
• John's direct linking of the specific theological error (denial of incarnation) to the broad spiritual label "antichrist" signifies that the essence of opposition to Christ, both individually and spiritually, fundamentally revolves around rejecting His true nature as God incarnate.
• This verse directly sets the stage for John's stern instruction in v. 10-11 regarding hospitality. Believers are commanded not to welcome or greet those who bring this false teaching, as such acts of hospitality would be a participation in their evil works.
• The historical prevalence of Docetism and related heresies in the late first century shows that the battle over Christ's true identity, particularly His humanity, was one of the earliest and most significant doctrinal challenges faced by the burgeoning Church.

2 John 1 7 Commentary

In 2 John 1:7, the apostle John underscores the essential truth of Jesus Christ's genuine humanity, making it a critical litmus test for discerning true teachers from false ones. The widespread proliferation of "deceivers" (πλάνοι), active in the world, constitutes a significant threat to the Christian community. These individuals, whom John states have "gone out" (likely from within the Christian fold), are distinguished by their persistent refusal to acknowledge (μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες) that "Jesus Christ [has come] in the flesh." This specific denial strikes at the heart of Christian doctrine, specifically countering Docetism and related Gnostic ideas which posited that Jesus only seemed to be human, seeing matter as inherently evil and unsuitable for a divine being.

John's direct and unwavering identification of anyone holding this belief as "the deceiver and the antichrist" reveals the gravity of this heresy. It is not merely a theological nuance but a fundamental error stemming from an anti-Christ spirit. The integrity of the Incarnation is foundational: if Jesus was not fully human, He could not genuinely suffer, die, and be resurrected for the redemption of humanity. Therefore, the denial of His physical reality invalidates the atonement and subverts the entire Gospel message. This verse serves as a crucial warning for believers to exercise discernment and guard sound doctrine, understanding that those who attack this foundational truth are adversaries of Christ himself.