ELECT LADY

e-lekt' la'-di (eklekte kuria; 2 John 1:1):

In accordance with strict grammatical usage these words of address may be translated in three ways: "to an elect lady" (which as an address is too indefinite); or, both words being taken as proper names, "to Eklekte Kuria" (an improbable combination of two very rare names); or "to Eklekte, lady" = anglice, "to the lady (or `Madam') Eklekte."

The other translations which have been given-"to the elect lady" or "to the elect Kuria"-are open to objection on account of the omission of the article; but this violation of rule is perhaps not without parallel (compare 1 Peter 1:1).

The translation adopted will partly depend upon whether we regard the epistle as addressed to an individual or to a community. Dr. Rendel Harris believes this question to be settled by the discovery in the papyri of numerous instances which prove that kurios and kuria were used by ancient letter-writers as terms of familiar endearment, applicable to brother, sister, son, wife, or intimate friend of either sex (Expositor, March, 1901; see also Findlay, Fellowship in the Life Eternal, chapter iii). In the light of this suggestion we should naturally translate, "to my (dear) lady Eklekte."

Grammatically, this is strongly supported by 1 Timothy 1:2 and 2 Timothy 1:2 (Timotheo gnesio. agapeto. tekno = "to Tim othy my true. beloved. child"); and the fact that the name Eklekte has not yet been discovered, though Eklektos has, offers no grave objection. This is the translation favored by Clement of Alexandria, who says of the epistle: scripta vero est ad quandam Babyloniam nomine Electam, significat autem electionem ecclesiae sanctae ("It is written to a certain Babylonian, Electa by name; but it signifies the further election of the holy church"). It seems doubtful whether he means by the last clause that Electa is simply a personification of the church, or a real person whose name was derived from the Christian idea of election. Either way the rendering, "to the lady Electa," is suitable, and upon the whole it seems the best. Eklekte is not an adjective but a noun. If a person is intended, it is "the lady Electa"; if a church, it is designated, not "the elect Lady," but "the lady Elect." The mention of "thy elect sister" in 2 John 1:13 does not hinder either supposition.

See further CYRIA; JOHN, THE EPISTLES OF. Robert Law

The Second and Third General Epistles of John
... On the assumption that the letter was addressed to an individual, the following
renderings have been proposed: (1) to an elect lady; (2) to the elect lady; (3 ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the second and third general.htm

The Epistles of St. John
... {262}. [Sidenote: To whom written.]. "Unto the elect lady and her children."
The interpretation of these words is a notorious difficulty. ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xxiii the epistles of.htm

On the Annunciation of Our Lady
... of they merits. O, elect Lady, our mediator and intercessor, commend us
to thy Son, intercede for us with thy Son. Do thou see to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon ix on the annunciation.htm

Entire Sanctification as Taught by John.
... He could still rebuke evil and denounce Diotrephes, and forbid the elect lady to
receive or countenance any who did not uphold the true, sound doctrines of the ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter ix entire sanctification as.htm

The Holy Spirit Forming Christ Within Us.
... "Do you mean to say, Mrs. H""," one of the ministers asked, "that you are holy?"
Quickly but very meekly and gently, the elect lady replied, "Christ in me ...
/.../torrey/the person and work of the holy spirit/chapter xii the holy spirit.htm

Letter cxlvi. To Evangelus.
... One of his letters begins thus: "The presbyter unto the elect lady and her children
whom I love in the truth;" [3941] and another thus: "The presbyter unto the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxlvi to evangelus.htm

Ann Lee.
... This was the only name of distinction by which she was known in the society.
The term Elect Lady was given to her by her enemies. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/ann lee.htm

John
... The other two of which the first is "The elder to the elect lady and her children"
and the other "The elder unto Gaius [2382] the beloved whom I love in truth ...
/.../various/jerome and gennadius lives of illustrious men /chapter ix john.htm

Elucidations.
... apostles; (3) of the tremendous ferment produced by the Gospel leaven as soon as
it was hid in the "three measures of meal" by "the Elect Lady," the Ecclesia ...
/.../hippolytus/the refutation of all heresies/elucidations.htm

Letter ii. In My Last Letter I Said that in the Bible There is ...
... the thunderings and lightnings came, and whom God answered by a voice; or but a
letter of thirteen verses from the affectionate ELDER TO THE ELECT LADY AND HER ...
/.../coleridge/confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/letter ii in my last.htm