Some Key Words

Receive (lambano [2983]):

to take, in whatever manner. However, it is a taking that does not necessarily signify favorable reception; to lay hold of a person or thing in order to use it, to take upon oneself, to make one's own, claim, associate with as companion, seize, apprehend, catch, appropriate to oneself, reach after, strive to obtain, collect as a tribute, admit, receive, not refuse, give a person access to oneself, choose, select, make trial of, experience, gain, get, obtain; to take, get hold of, accept.

Greeting (chairo [5463]):

To rejoice, be glad, a salutation like 'hello'; to rejoice exceedingly, to be well, to thrive, a salutation of 'hail!', to salute; to be cheerful, calmly happy, a greeting of 'be well'

Participates (koinoneo [2841]):

lie open to all, common, to communicate, partake of; to become a sharer, to be made a partner, to enter into fellowship, join to an associate, make oneself a partner; to share with others

Deeds (ergon [2041]):

work, performance, result of employment, result of doing; what anyone is occupied with, an undertaking, anything accomplished, an act, deed, thing done; toil, an act

 

Paraphrase

10 Should anybody try to teach you such deceptions, you should not even have so much to do with them as to say hello, let alone inviting them in, 11 because showing any kind of familiarity to such a one would be seen as accepting his teachings along with his person.

Key Verse

10 - it gives the instructions.

Some Parallel Verses

10

1Ki 13:16 - The prophet refuses to be received into the old prophet's house. Ro 16:17 - We are to turn away from those who teach a contrary teaching. 2Th 3:6 - and avoid those who live apart from that teaching. 2Th 3:14 - nor associate with those who don't obey true teaching. Ti 3:10 - Such shall be given two warnings, and then rejected.

11

Eph 5:11 - We ought not participate in dark acts, but expose them instead. 1Ti 5:22 - We should even take care who we lay hands upon, lest we share in their sins. Jude 23 - Whereas some we can save, others we should not even dare to touch, lest that touching pollute us. Yet all with mercy.

 

New Thoughts

It's interesting that John, in speaking of receiving such a one, uses a term which carefully notes that no favor was intended in the reception. It's like he was saying "I know you are just trying to be gracious, not that you believe what they are saying, but don't even be gracious to these. Don't even give them so much blessing as is contained in greeting them." For to receive them is still to give them access to yourself, which is more danger than you need to place yourself in. I'd forgotten the degree of warning that some of the parallel verses put forth, too. We need to be careful, and certain of God's leading as to who we pray over. Lord, help us to care for the spiritual as well as we do the physical. You've told us to be good stewards, yet until this moment, I'd never really thought of that as a spiritual instruction. But every good and perfect gift comes from You, and all Your gifts deserve our utmost care and appreciation. God, may You find that we've guarded the precious gift of truth carefully, and shared it with all who could benefit from it.