English 
Italiano The Second Epistle of John is a concise but impactful text. Traditionally attributed to the apostle John, this short letter, also referred to as a New Testament “postcard” because of its brevity, emphasizes love, truth, obedience to GOD’s commandments, and vigilance against false teachings, values that resonate in all three Abrahamic faiths.
For Christians, this epistle offers essential instructions for maintaining fellowship and unity within the community, highlighting the need for constant adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Its central message emphasizes the vital importance of love and truth as guiding principles in the Christian walk of faith.
For Jewish readers, although the Second Epistle of John is not part of the Hebrew canon, its profound emphasis on love, obedience and truth can resonate with basic Torah principles. The sustained values and ethical exhortations found in this Epistle align significantly with Jewish teachings.
Similarly for Islam, although this text is not part of the Islamic corpus, the principles outlined in the Second Epistle of John find strong echoes in the teachings dictated by the Prophet Mohammed. Concepts such as devotion to truth, obedience to divine commandments, communal unity and vigilance against falsehood align with Islam’s core values, creating a shared moral and ethical framework.
Structure
I. Introduction and Greetings (2 John 1:1-3)
A. The Elder’s greetings to the elect lady and her children (1:1-2)
B. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son (1:3)
II. The Command to Love and Obedience (2 John 1:4-6)
A. Rejoicing over some who are walking in the truth (1:4)
B. A plea for love and obedience to God’s commandments (1:5-6)
III. Warning Against False Teachers (2 John 1:7-11)
A. Caution regarding deceivers who deny Jesus Christ’s coming in the flesh (1:7)
B. The need for vigilance to receive a full reward (1:8)
C. The danger of not continuing in Christ’s teaching and the correct response to false teachers (1:9-11)
IV. Conclusion and Final Greetings (2 John 1:12-13)
A. The desire to visit and speak face to face for complete joy (1:12)
B. Greetings from the children of the elect sister (1:13)
2nd Letter to John Audiobook
2nd Letter to John Full Text
Chapter 1
| Original Language | Transliteration | English | Italiano |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ὁ πρεσβύτερος Ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῆς οὓς ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνος ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐγνωκότες τὴν ἀλήθειαν | 1. o presbuteros eklektē kuria kai tois teknois autēs, ous egō agapō en alētheia, kai ouk egō monos alla kai pantes oi egnōkotes tēn alētheian, | 1. The elder,To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth–and not I only, but also all who know the truth– | 1. L’anziano alla signora eletta e ai suoi figli che io amo nella verità (e non solo io ma anche tutti quelli che hanno conosciuto la verità) |
| 2. διὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τὴν μένουσαν ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ μεθ’ ἡμῶν ἔσται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα | 2. dia tēn alētheian tēn menousan en ēmin kai meth ēmōn estai eis ton aiōna. | 2. because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: | 2. a motivo della verità che dimora in noi e sarà con noi in eterno: |
| 3. Ἔσται μεθ’ ἡμῶν χάρις ἔλεος εἰρήνη παρὰ Θεοῦ Πατρός καὶ παρὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Πατρός ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἀγάπῃ | 3. estai meth ēmōn charis eleos eirēnē para theou patros kai para iēsou christou tou uiou tou patros en alētheia kai agapē. | 3. Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. | 3. grazia, misericordia e pace saranno con noi da parte di Dio Padre e di Gesù Cristo, il Figlio del Padre, nella verità e nell’amore. |
| 4. Ἐχάρην λίαν ὅτι εὕρηκα ἐκ τῶν τέκνων σου περιπατοῦντας ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καθὼς ἐντολὴν ἐλάβομεν παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός | 4. echarēn lian oti eurēka ek tōn teknōn sou peripatountas en alētheia, kathōs entolēn elabomen para tou patros. | 4. It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. | 4. Mi sono molto rallegrato di aver trovato fra i tuoi figli alcuni che camminano nella verità, secondo il comandamento che abbiamo ricevuto dal Padre. |
| 5. καὶ νῦν ἐρωτῶ σε κυρία οὐχ ὡς ἐντολὴν «γράφων σοι» καινὴν ἀλλὰ ἣν εἴχομεν* ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους | 5. kai nun erōtō se, kuria, ouch ōs entolēn graphōn soi kainēn alla ēn eichomen ap archēs, ina agapōmen allēlous. | 5. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. | 5. E ora ti prego, signora, non come se ti scrivessi un comandamento nuovo, ma quello che abbiamo avuto fin dal principio: amiamoci gli uni gli altri! |
| 6. καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη ἵνα περιπατῶμεν κατὰ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ αὕτη ἡ ἐντολή ἐστιν καθὼς ἠκούσατε ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἵνα ἐν αὐτῇ περιπατῆτε | 6. kai autē estin ē agapē, ina peripatōmen kata tas entolas autou· autē ē entolē estin, kathōs ēkousate ap archēs, ina en autē peripatēte. | 6. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. | 6. In questo è l’amore: che camminiamo secondo i suoi comandamenti. Questo è il comandamento in cui dovete camminare come avete imparato fin dal principio. |
| 7. Ὅτι πολλοὶ πλάνοι ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὸν κόσμον οἱ μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐρχόμενον ἐν σαρκί οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πλάνος καὶ ὁ ἀντίχριστος | 7. oti polloi planoi exēlthon eis ton kosmon, oi mē omologountes iēsoun christon erchomenon en sarki· outos estin o planos kai o antichristos. | 7. 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. | 7. Poiché molti seduttori sono usciti per il mondo, i quali non riconoscono pubblicamente che Gesù Cristo è venuto in carne. Quello è il seduttore e l’anticristo. |
| 8. βλέπετε ἑαυτούς ἵνα μὴ ἀπολέσητε ἃ εἰργασάμεθα* ἀλλὰ μισθὸν πλήρη ἀπολάβητε | 8. blepete eautous, ina mē apolesēte a eirgasametha alla misthon plērē apolabēte. | 8. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. | 8. Badate a voi stessi affinché non perdiate quello per cui abbiamo lavorato, ma riceviate piena ricompensa. |
| 9. πᾶς ὁ προάγων καὶ μὴ μένων ἐν τῇ διδαχῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Θεὸν οὐκ ἔχει ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ διδαχῇ οὗτος καὶ τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἔχει | 9. pas o proagōn kai mē menōn en tē didachē tou christou theon ouk echei· o menōn en tē didachē, outos kai ton patera kai ton uion echei. | 9. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. | 9. Chiunque va oltre e non rimane nella dottrina di Cristo, non ha Dio. Chi rimane nella dottrina, ha il Padre e il Figlio. |
| 10. Εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ ταύτην τὴν διδαχὴν οὐ φέρει μὴ λαμβάνετε αὐτὸν εἰς οἰκίαν καὶ χαίρειν αὐτῷ μὴ λέγετε | 10. ei tis erchetai pros umas kai tautēn tēn didachēn ou pherei, mē lambanete auton eis oikian kai chairein autō mē legete. | 10. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. | 10. Se qualcuno viene a voi e non reca questa dottrina, non ricevetelo in casa e non salutatelo. |
| 11. ὁ λέγων γὰρ αὐτῷ χαίρειν κοινωνεῖ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ τοῖς πονηροῖς | 11. o legōn gar autō chairein koinōnei tois ergois autou tois ponērois. | 11. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. | 11. Chi lo saluta[1], partecipa alle sue opere malvagie. |
| 12. Πολλὰ ἔχων ὑμῖν γράφειν οὐκ ἐβουλήθην διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος ἀλλὰ ἐλπίζω γενέσθαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλῆσαι ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν πεπληρωμένη ᾖ | 12. polla echōn umin graphein ouk eboulēthēn dia chartou kai melanos, alla elpizō genesthai pros umas kai stoma pros stoma lalēsai, ina ē chara umōn peplērōmenē ē. | 12. I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. | 12. Avrei molte altre cose da scrivervi, ma non ho voluto farlo con carta e inchiostro, perché spero di venire da voi e di parlarvi a voce, affinché la nostra gioia sia completa. |
| 13. Ἀσπάζεταί σε τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου τῆς ἐκλεκτῆς ⧼Ἀμήν⧽ | 13. aspazetai se ta tekna tēs adelphēs sou tēs eklektēs. | 13. The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings. | 13. I figli della tua eletta sorella ti salutano. |