2 John 1:5

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I am writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ νῦν ἐρωτῶ σε, κυρία, οὐχ ὡς ἐντολὴν γράφων σοι καινήν, ἀλλὰ ἣν εἴχομεν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἵνα ἀγαπῶμεν ἀλλήλους.

Transliteration

And now I erōtō you, kyria, not as entolēn graphōn to you kainēn, but which we eichomen from archēs, that we might agapōmen allēlous.

Grammar Details

• *erōtō*: present, active, indicative, 1st person singular - ask/request
• *kyria*: vocative, feminine, singular - lady/mistress
• *entolēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - commandment
• *graphōn*: present, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - writing
• *kainēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - new
• *eichomen*: imperfect, active, indicative, 1st person plural - were having
• *archēs*: genitive, feminine, singular - beginning
• *agapōmen*: present, active, subjunctive, 1st person plural - may love
• *allēlous*: accusative, masculine, plural - one another

Word Meanings

• *erōtō*: ask/request/beseech
• *kyria*: lady/mistress (could be title or proper name)
• *entolēn*: commandment/order/charge
• *graphōn*: writing/recording
• *kainēn*: new/fresh/unprecedented
• *eichomen*: were having/possessing/holding
• *archēs*: beginning/origin/first cause
• *agapōmen*: may love/cherish/value highly
• *allēlous*: one another/each other

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And now I urge you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And nowe beseche I the lady not as though I wrote a newe commaundement vnto the but that same which we had fro the begynninge that we shuld love one another.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And now lady I beseke the (not as though I wrote a new commaundement vnto the, but the same which we haue had from the begynnynge) that we loue one another.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And nowe beseeche I thee, Lady, (not as writing a newe commandement vnto thee, but that same which we had from the beginning) that we loue one another.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And nowe beseche I thee Lady, not as though I wrote a newe commaundement vnto thee: but that same which we haue had from the begynnyng, that we shoulde loue one another.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ 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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and now I beseech thee, Kyria, not as writing to thee a new command, but which we had from the beginning, that we may love one another,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And now, my sister, I make a request to you, not sending you a new law, but the law which we had from the first, that we have love for one another.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Warning Against False Teachers But now I ask you, lady(not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.

Referenced Verses

• 1 John 3:11 : 11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another.
• John 13:34-35 : 34 'I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.' 35 'By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.'
• John 15:12 : 12 This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.
• Gal 5:22 : 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Eph 5:2 : 2 And walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial offering to God, a pleasing aroma.
• 1 Thess 4:9 : 9 Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
• Heb 13:1 : 1 Let brotherly love continue.
• 1 Pet 1:22-23 : 22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
• 1 Pet 4:8 : 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
• 2 Pet 1:7 : 7 to godliness, brotherly love; and to brotherly love, love.
• 1 John 2:7-8 : 7 Dear brothers and sisters, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old one that you have had from the beginning. This old commandment is the word you have already heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in Him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
• 1 John 3:14-18 : 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates their brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in them. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.
• 1 John 3:23 : 23 Now this is His commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He commanded us.
• 1 John 4:7-9 : 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this, the love of God was revealed among us: that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
• 1 John 4:20 : 20 If anyone says, 'I love God,' but hates their brother or sister, they are a liar. For the one who does not love their brother or sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen.