2 John 1:9 (LSB)

Passage

Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

Nearby Context

2 John 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

2 John 1:8 See to yourselves, that you do not lose what we accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

2 John 1:9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

2 John 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting,

2 John 1:11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "anyone", "goes", "does", "abide", "teaching", "christ", and "abides". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "anyone" and "goes", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "See to yourselves that you do not..." into verse 10's "If anyone comes to you and does...", so "anyone" and "goes" 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 "anyone" and "goes" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.