2 John 9
(KJV)
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath
not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the
Father and the Son.
(1611 KJV)
Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not
in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: hee that abideth in the doctrine
of
Christ, he hath both the Father and the Sonne.
(1587 Geneva
Bible) Whosoeuer transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
hath not God. He that continueth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Sonne.
(1568 Bishops
Bible) Whosoeuer transgresseth, and bideth not in the doctrine of Christe,
hath not God: He that endureth in the doctrine of Christe, hath both the
father and the sonne.
(1526 Tyndale
Bible) Whosoever transgresseth and bydeth not in the doctrine of Christ hath
not God. He yt endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath bothe the father
and the sonne.
Counterfeit
Versions
(1881 RV) 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.
(1901 ASV) 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.
(AMP)
Anyone who runs on ahead and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ [that is,
one who is not content with what He taught], does not have God; but the one who continues to
remain in the teaching [of Christ does have God], he has both the Father and the
Son.
(CEB)
Anyone who goes too far and does not continue in the teaching about Christ does
not have God. Whoever continues in this teaching has both the Father and the
Son.
(CEV)
Don’t keep changing what you were taught about Christ, or else God will no
longer be with you. But if you hold firmly to what you were taught, both the
Father and the Son will be with you.
(CSB)
Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have
God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the
Son.
(Douay Rheims-1899 American
Edition)
Whosoever revolteth, and continueth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.
He that continueth in the doctrine, the same hath both the Father and the Son.
(ERV)
Everyone must continue to follow only the teaching about Christ. Whoever changes
that teaching does not have God. But whoever continues to follow the teaching
about Christ [changes “of” to “about”] has both the Father and his Son.
(ESV)
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does
not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
(GNB)
Anyone who does not stay with the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does
not have God. Whoever does stay with the teaching has both the Father and the
Son.
(HCSB)
Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it, does not
have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and
the Son.
(LEB)
Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not
have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father
and the Son.
(LB)
For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind;
while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too. Then you
will have both the Father and the Son.
(NABRE-Roman Catholic)
Anyone who is so “progressive”* as
not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains
in the teaching has the Father and the Son.
(NASV)
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.
(NET)
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does
not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the
Son.
(NIV)
Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not
have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
(NRSV)
Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does
not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
(RSV)
Any one who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not
have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son.
(VOICE)
Any person who drifts away and fails to live in the teachings of the Anointed
One, our
Liberating King, does
not have God. But the person who lives in this teaching will have both the
Father and the Son.
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Everyone who pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does
not have God. The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both
the Father and the Son.
Textus
Receptus- Traditional Text
πας ο παραβαινων και μη μενων εν τη διδαχη του χριστου
θεον ουκ εχει ο μενων εν τη διδαχη
του χριστου ουτος και τον πατερα και τον υιον εχει
Hort-Westcott
– Critical Text
πας ο προαγων και μη μενων εν τη διδαχη του χριστου θεον
ουκ εχει ο μενων εν τη διδαχη ουτος και τον πατερα και τον υιον εχει
Corrupted
Manuscripts
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth
Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
Manuscripts
which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
Stephanus (1550 A.D.)
Elzevir 1624 - 1633
K 018 - Ninth century
L 020 - Ninth century
P 025 - Ninth century
Published Greek Text with Corruptions
Omits “of Christ”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth
edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth
Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh
Edition
Nestle-Aland - 2012 - Twenty Eighth
Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth
Edition
Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in
1870
Affected Teaching
Here is a specific salvation issue which is omitted in the modern versions. The verse teaches us that those who abide in the doctrine of Christ which is the teachings of Christ plus the performing of those teachings are giving evidence that they are saved plus the verse teaches us that only those in Christ are saved and those who do not have the doctrine or teachings of Christ give evidence that they are not saved. Here is the general principle which covers the saved and unsaved. Those who have turned aside from the true teachings of Christ and continue to abide in false teachings are giving visible evidence that they are unsaved. A person can claim salvation but if their teachings and lifestyle betray their claims, then the obvious measure is by the latter two. There are many who claim to be saved, yet are walking in disobedience. Then there is the other side of the coin where John states that those who are walking continually in the doctrine of Christ, not only have the Son but have the Father also. This means that those religions who deny Christ are void of having the Father also. (John 14:6 KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Jesus uses the word “the” three times which means there are no alternative ways to the Father. Neither the Wailing wall, nor Jihad, nor Mary will ever bring anyone to the Father, only through Christ. The modern versions remove the second recording of “doctrine of Christ” which speaks specifically of salvation. With the removal of the doctrine of Christ it sets up a works doctrine situation.