2 John 1:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

NIV: Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

NASB: Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

CSB: Watch yourselves so that you don't lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward.

NLT: Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.

KJV: Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

NKJV: Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

The warning against false teachers was to "watch yourselves." When believers encounter a false teacher, in this case one who denies Christ's humanity, they are not to be concerned with the false teacher's life or arguments. Instead, a Christian is to guard against those false teachings in their own lives. A believer's primary concern is their own spiritual life.

The reason believers are to watch themselves when false teachers are near is also mentioned. Listening to a false teacher cannot cause a believer to lose his or her salvation, but can cause them to lose spiritual rewards. Why? Because a deceived believer does not faithfully serve the Lord. He or she then loses out on possible heavenly treasures. The power of salvation is not simply gaining heaven and avoiding hell. It also means having the ability to live a righteous and godly life—but this is a power Christians can fail to take advantage of.

John includes himself in this warning by stating "we." Even this great apostle had to guard against false teachers and their teachings.

Second John 1:7–11 discusses a certain type of false teacher. Those who deny that Jesus came to earth in a real, physical, human form are not teaching the truth. According to John, these people are not to be supported in any way whatsoever. Those who help a false teacher are participating in their sin.

The entire book of 2 John is only 13 verses long. It is written by ''the elder,'' in this case the disciple John. In it, John commends a group of believers for holding fast to the truth of the gospel. He also warns these people to avoid those who deny aspects of the Christian faith, and who deceive people away from the truth. John uses the term ''elect lady and her children'' as a reference to this entire local church.

As a short letter, 2 John doesn’t develop any one topic too deeply. John is pleased to see that some believers are sticking to the truth, but this implies that others are not. He is concerned over the influence of false teachers, using strong terms to reject their teachings. John’s reference to ''the elect lady and her children'' is probably a reference to an entire local church and its members.

Second John is one of the disciple John’s letters. The others are 1 John and 3 John. He is also the author of the gospel of John and the book of Revelation. Letters such as this help us understand John’s guidance of early churches. As the last surviving disciple, John’s words would have carried great weight in the Christian community.

Accessed 5/4/2024 4:24:10 AM