| 1 THE ELDER, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, |
| 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: |
| 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. |
| 4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. |
| 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. |
| 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. |
| 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. |
| 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. |
| 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. |
| 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; |
| 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. |
| 12 Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. |
| 13 The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen. |
