If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
Parallel translations
- WEB If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,
- KJV If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
- 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 3:10Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,
- Rom 16:17–18Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
- 2 Th 3:6Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
- 2 Th 3:14Take note of anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter. Do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
- 2 Tim 3:5–6having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
- 1 Cor 5:11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
- 2 Jn 1:11Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds.
- 1 Cor 16:22If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be under a curse. Come, O Lord!
- Gal 1:8–9But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!
- Ps 129:8May none who pass by say to them, “The blessing of the LORD be on you; we bless you in the name of the LORD.”
- Gen 24:12“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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.