Bible Questions Answered:
“Who is the “elect lady,” John
refers to in second John?”
Rodney/ San Francisco U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
II John 1:1,5 KJV
1 The elder unto the elect lady*
and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but
also all they that have known the truth;
5 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.
*Lady: Greek, Kuria
(Koo-ree-ah): Woman: lady.
II John 1:1-13 NLT
1 This letter is from John, the
elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children,
whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows The Truth—
2 because the Truth lives in us and
will be with us forever.
3 Grace, mercy, and peace, which
come from God The Father and from Jesus Christ—The Son Of The
Father—will continue to be with us who live in Truth and love.
4 How happy I was to meet some of
your children and find them living according to The Truth, just as
The Father commanded.
5 I am writing to remind you, dear
friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new
commandment, but one we have had from the beginning.
6 Love means doing what God has
commanded us, and He has commanded us to love one another, just as
you heard from the beginning.
7 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.
8 Watch out that you do not lose
what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you
receive your full reward.
9 Anyone who wanders away from this
teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the
teaching of Christ has a relationship with both The Father and The
Son.
10 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.
11 Anyone who encourages such people
becomes a partner in their evil work.
12 I have much more to say to you,
but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit
you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be
complete.
13 Greetings from the children of
your sister, chosen by God.
Some think that Elder John (John being
the last surviving Apostle) was figuratively speaking of the church,
while others hold to the idea that Lady is a proper noun, and that an
actual person named Kuria existed. It has been also stated that Kuria
(Kyria) is the Greek form of Martha.
John apparently knew well this lady,
and had been to the house of her sister, where were her children.
4 How happy I was to meet some of
your children and find them living according to The Truth, just as
The Father commanded.
13 Greetings from the children of
your sister, chosen by God.
This chosen lady
and her children, must have been apart of one of the churches in Asia
Minor, of which John was an Elder. The chosen, or “elect-lady,”
was no doubt a leader in one of those churches. (Which more than likely may have been a home church.)
John warned her of
false teachers, and to not allow them into her home.
III John 5-8 NLT
5 Dear friend, you are being
faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass
through, even though they are strangers to you.
6 They have told the church here of
your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers
in a manner that pleases God.
7 For they are traveling for the
Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.
8 So we ourselves should support
them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
The early church
was generous and loving, and yet, it was “not,” in any way to
encourage false teachers!
10 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.
11 Anyone who encourages such
people becomes a partner in their evil work.
This is still
good advice today!
