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If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,
2 John 1:10 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
  • BSB If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
  • NKJV If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
  • NASB If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
  • 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.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

If anyone comes without bringing this teaching, they are not to receive him into their house or welcome him. The church must not extend support or endorsement to those promoting false doctrine about Christ.

Overview

This concerns traveling teachers who relied on hospitality; to host and bless such a false teacher would have meant aiding and endorsing his mission. The instruction targets active propagators of the deadly error about Christ, not ordinary unbelievers or those with minor differences. It shows that love for the truth sometimes requires firm boundaries to protect the church from gospel-denying influence.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • Titus 3:10Avoid a factious man after a first and second warning,
  • Rom 16:17–18Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
  • 2 Th 3:6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks in rebellion, and not after the tradition which they received from us.
  • 2 Th 3:14If any man doesn’t obey our word in this letter, note that man, that you have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed.
  • 2 Tim 3:5–6holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also.
  • 1 Cor 5:11But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.
  • 2 Jn 1:11for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds.
  • 1 Cor 16:22If any man doesn’t love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Come, Lord!
  • Gal 1:8–9But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed.
  • Ps 129:8Neither do those who go by say, “The blessing of Yahweh be on you. We bless you in Yahweh’s name.”
  • Gen 24:12He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 John 1:10YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

To walk in truth and love is to abide in 'the teaching of Christ'; whoever has the Son has both the Father and life.

How 2 John 1:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.