2 John 1:11 (ASV)

Passage

for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.

Nearby Context

2 John 1:9 Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son.

2 John 1:10 If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting:

2 John 1:11 for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.

2 John 1:12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not [write them] with paper and ink: but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be made full.

2 John 1:13 The children of thine elect sister salute thee.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "giveth", "greeting", "partaketh", "evil", and "works". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "giveth" and "greeting", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 10's "If any one cometh unto you and..." into verse 12's "Having many things to write unto you...", so "giveth" and "greeting" belong inside that flow. In 2 John context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "giveth" and "greeting" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.