When was 2 John written?

The apostle John wrote the letter 2 John to help Christians resist false teachers. With this aim, John encourages believers to commit themselves to sound biblical theology: “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” (2 John 1:9). 2 John was written between 90 and 95 AD, when false teachers challenged the theological foundations of the Christian faith.

Knowing who wrote 2 John is important to determine when the letter was composed. Although John doesn’t refer to himself by name, internal evidence suggests he wrote it. For instance, in the first verse, the author refers to himself as an elder: “The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth” (2 John 1:1). The term “elder” may refer to John’s age or an office he held, both of which support a 90 to 95 AD date.

The reference to “her children” supports the view that “elder” means John was a generation older than the first recipients. The phrase refers to church members rather than biological children. This indicates that John was a generation older than the letter’s initial readers. This view aligns with him being the last living apostle who wrote near the end of the first century.

Additional support for this date of writing comes from the close connection between 2 John and 3 John in both language and theme. The letter emphasizes loving one another (2 John 1:5), walking in obedience (2 John 1:6), and rejecting false teachers who deny that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 1:7)—all themes found in 3 John. These parallels suggest that John wrote both letters within the same period of his ministry, in the early 90s AD.

Furthermore, internal and external evidence point to John as the author of the Gospel of John, 1 and 3 John, and the book of Revelation, between 90 and 95 AD. Therefore, it’s reasonable to conclude that he wrote 2 John at the same time.

External evidence also points to John writing the letters between 90 and 95 AD. Early church tradition says that John was in Ephesus during the final decades of his life, where he ministered to the churches of Asia Minor. This supports the view that he wrote 2 John during his time in Ephesus, around 90 and 95 AD.

At the end of the first century, false teachers were numerous and attempting to influence the rise of Christianity. Because of them, John cautions the church: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward” (2 John 7–8).

The warnings God gave about deception at the end of the first century are still applicable to Christians today.