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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

2 John 1:6

ἡ ἀγάπη, “the love just referred to”. περιπ. κατὰ τὰς ἐντ. αὐτ., regulating our lives by their requirements; περιπ. ἐν ἀληθείᾳ (2 John 1:4), keeping within the limits of the Christian revelation and not straying beyond them not προάγοντες (2 John 1:9). αὐτῇ, i.e., “love,” not “the commandment” (Vulg.: Hoc est mandatum, ut … in eo ambuletis). περιπατεῖν ἐν ἀγάπῃ is synonymous with περιπατεῖν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, since Love is Truth in practice. Cf. the story of R. Hillel: A mocking Gentile promised to become a proselyte if he would teach him the whole Law while he stood on one foot a gibe at the multitudinous precepts, reckoned at 613. “What is hateful to thyself,” said the Rabbi, “do not to thy neighbour. This is the whole Law; the rest is commentary.” Yalk. Chad., lix. 2; “qui justum cibat frusto, perinde est acsi totum Pentateuchum servasset”.

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See also 2 John 1:6 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 John 1:6. _AND THIS IS LOVE_] That is, our love is shown and proved by our walking according to the commandments of God; for love is the principle of obedience....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND THIS IS LOVE, THAT WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS - This is the proper expression or evidence of love to God. See the notes at John 14:15, John 14:21. THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT - That is, this is hi...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    THE SECOND EPISTLE The Second Epistle is addressed by the elder unto the elect lady and her children. The word elder has the same meaning as it has in 1 Peter 5:1. Some take it that the elect lady me...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    EXHORTATION AND WARNING. The commandment of love given by Christ to His Church from the beginning must be faithfully observed. Loyalty to Christ meant that His followers must beware of the false teach...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    It gave me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, as we have received commandment from the Father. And now, Lady, not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but a comman...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE ELECT LADY (2 John 1:1-3)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HAVE. Omit. In this verse is the Figure of speech _Antimetabole,_ "walk... commandments commandment... walk"....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Exhortation to Love and Obedience 5. _And now_ As in 1 John 2:28 (see note there), this introduces a practical exhortation depending on what precedes. -It is my joy at the Christian life of some of t...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    We now enter upon the main portion of the Epistle, which has three divisions: _Exhortation to Love and Obedience_(5, 6); _Warnings against False Doctrine_(7 9); _Warnings against False Charity_(10, 11...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And this is love_ Or, _And_ THE LOVE IS THIS: the love which I mean consists in this (see on 1 John 1:5). In 2 John 1:5 obedience prompts love; here love prompts obedience. This is no vicious logical...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΚΑῚ ΑὝΤΗ ἘΣΤῚΝ Ἡ�. _And_ THE LOVE IS THIS: the love which I mean consists in this (see on 1 John 1:5). In 2 John 1:5 obedience prompts love; here love prompts obedience. This is no vicious logical cir...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    We now enter upon the main portion of the Epistle, which has three divisions: _Exhortation to Love and Obedience_ (5, 6); _Warnings against False Doctrine_ (7–9); _Warnings against False Charity_ (10,...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    5, 6. EXHORTATION TO LOVE AND OBEDIENCE...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΑΓΆΠΗ (G26) любовь (TDNT; TLNT; EDNT). Любовь означает жизнь в соответствии с заповедями Отца (Marshall), ΠΕΡΙ· ΠΑΤΏΜΕΝ _praes. conj. act. от_ ΠΕΡΙΠΑΤΈΩ (G4043) вести образ жизни. _Conj._ с ΪΝ (G2443...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THIS IS LOVE,— That is, "the love which God the Father, by Christ his eternal Son, has enjoined upon Christians one towards another," as appears from the connection. The exhortations to mutual lov...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    The path of loving obedience. 2 John 1:4-6 (2 John 1:4) I was greatly pleased because I have found (certain) of your children walking in truth, just as we received commandment according to the Father....

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 'Love is the fulfilling of the law,' and the fulfill...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 6. AND THIS IS LOVE. We know one possesses this love whenever we see its demonstration. One, therefore, who knows by acts that he loves, shows at the same time that he walks after the commandme...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    1 It is a striking fact that John never appeals to his apostleship in his epistles. In this short note, as well as in the next one, he is simply an elder. This accords with the private character of th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    IN IT] better to make 'it' refer not to the nearest noun, 'commandment,' but to 'love.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW TO LIVE IN THE TRUTH 2 JOHN _IAN MACKERVOY_ ABOUT THIS LETTER 1. WRITER At the start of the letter, the writer calls himself the ‘*elder’. There are three ways that we can use the word ‘*eld...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (2) St. John had lately had opportunity of observing bow some of the matron’s children proved their adherence to the truth by their daily conduct. Having congratulated her about this, he states the ch...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    WALKING IN TRUTH 2 John 1:1 This exquisite letter, a model of old-world correspondence, was probably written when the Apostle was the guest of the nephews of the lady addressed. The Epistle revolves...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    "TO THE ELECT LADY AND HER CHILDREN" John is thought of as the author of 2 John. This is because of the testimony of ancient authorities as well as the fact that this letter is so similar in style an...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    This is the rule of a Christian and Catholic to walk in that faith and worship which he hath received from the beginning, and which we now call according to the Scriptures, the _tradition of the apost...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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. (6) And this is love, that we walk after his comman...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Second and Third Epistles of John insist on the truth. The Second warns the faithful against the reception of those who do not teach the doctrine of Christ, especially the truth respecting the Per...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THIS IS LOVE, THAT WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS,.... By observing them as a rule of conversation, in so doing love is shown to God; and such may expect the fresh discoveries of the love of God t...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. Ver. 6. _As ye have heard_] He studiously declines the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And this is love_ The principal proof of true love, first to God, and then to his people; _that we walk after his commandments_ That we be obedient to his will in all things. _This_ love _is the_ gre...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    THIS IS LOVE-HIS COMMANDMENTS; the proper expression and evidence of love to God and men, is the keeping of his commandments. Compare 1 John 5:2-3. THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT; what the apostle has just...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Exhortation to walk in truth and love:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THIS IS LOVE, THAT WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS. THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT, THAT, AS YE HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING, YE SHOULD WALK IN IT. The letter proper opens with a word of appreciation: I...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    4-6 It is good to be trained to early religion; and children may be beloved for their parents' sake. It gave great joy to the apostle to see children treading in their parents' steps, and likely in t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    From this particular command he passes to what is more general, requiring in all things a strict and unanimous adherence to the pure and primitive doctrine of the gospel, which would be the best expre...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 John 1:6 G2532 This G3778 is G2076 (G5748) love G26 that G2443 walk G4043 (G5725) according...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we should walk after his comman...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    2 John 1:6. Here we have once more St. John's familiar tribute to the ethical supremacy of love, the new revelation of which by Christ ‘in the beginning' sways his thoughts with a peculiar power. The...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    LOVE (η αγαπη). The love just mentioned.THAT WE SHOULD WALK (ινα περιπατωμεν). Object clause in nominative case in apposition with αγαπη, with ινα and the present active subjunctive of περιπατεω,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Truth and love inseparable in the Christian life. Doctrine the test of reality. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, John, elect lady, anti-christ. CONCLUSION: The test of our love to God is universal...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    MEANS THAT WE MUST LIVE. Christian love is not an "ooey-gooey feeling in the tummy," but a very practical way of living in truth. [The other forms of love are valid in their sphere.] Compare 1 John 5:...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _This is love, that we walk after His commandments._ LOVE, THE PRINCIPLE OF OBEDIENCE I. Love as the principle of obedience. 1. The excellency of this principle. It renders obedience. (1) Divinely...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 JOHN—NOTE ON 2 JOHN 1:4 The Elder’s Joy and Request. John wants his readers’ behavior to reflect their faith. ⇐...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 JOHN—NOTE ON 2 JOHN 1:6 COMMANDMENT probably refers to the love commandment introduced by Jesus (John 13:34)....

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND THIRD EPISTLE OF S. JOHN.. SEVERAL ancient writers have entertained doubts respecting the Second and Third Epistles of S. John, supposing them to have been written by John t...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Tonight, we want to look at 2 John and 3 John and the book of Jude, all short little one-chapter epistles. The epistles of 2 John and 3 John were of course, written by the apostle John. A situation ex...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 John 2:24; 1 John 5:15; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:5; Galatians 5:13;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Love [η α γ α π η]. The love just mentioned in the verb we love. That [ι ν α]. See on John 14:13. After His commandments [κ α τ α τ α ς ε ν τ ο λ α ς α υ τ ο υ]. For walk, with kata after, according t...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    And this is the proof of true love, universal obedience built on the love of God. This — Love. Is the great commandment which ye have heard from the beginning — Of our preaching....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    As if our apostle had said, "By this we shall make it evidently appear that there is the true love of God in us, if we endeavour to frame our lives according to his commandments;" and this, he assures...

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Old Testament