2 John 1:9 (ASV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward.

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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whosoever", "goeth", "onward", "abideth", "teaching", "christ", and "hath". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whosoever" and "goeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "Look to yourselves that ye lose not..." into verse 10's "If any one cometh unto you and...", so "whosoever" and "goeth" 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 "whosoever" and "goeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.