1 م ِنَ الشَّيخِ، إلَى السَّيِّدَةِ الَّتِي اختارَها اللهُ، وَإلَى أولادِها الَّذِينَ أُحِبُّهُمْ فِي الحَقِّ، وَيُحِبُّهُمْ كُلُّ مَنْ يَعرِفُ الحَقَّ.

The elder to elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not I only but also all who have known the truth,

2 ن ُحِبُّكُمْ لِأنَّ الحَقَّ فِينا، وَسَيَبقَى إلَى الأبَدِ مَعَنا.

for the truth's sake which abides in us and shall be with us to eternity.

3 ل ِتَكُنِ النِّعمَةُ وَالرَّحمَةُ وَالسَّلامُ لَنا مِنَ اللهِ الآبِ وَمِنْ يَسُوعَ المَسِيحِ ابْنِ الآبِ، بَينَما نَحيا فِي الحَقِّ وَفِي المَحَبَّةِ.

Grace shall be with you, mercy, peace from God Father, and from Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 ك َمْ كانَ سُرُورِي عَظِيماً لِأنِّي وَجَدتُ بَعضَ أبنائِكِ يَعِيشُونَ فِي الحَقِّ، كَما أوصانا الآبُ.

I rejoiced greatly that I have found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received commandment from the Father.

5 و َالآنَ أطلُبُ يا سَيِّدَتِي العَزِيزَةَ، أنْ يُحِبَّ بَعضُنا بَعضاً. هَذِهِ لَيسَتْ وَصِيَّةً جَدِيدَةً أكتُبُها إليكِ، بَلِ الوَصِيَّةَ نَفسَها الَّتِي تَلَقَّيناها مُنذُ البِدايَةِ.

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing to thee a new commandment, but that which we have had from beginning, that we should love one another.

6 ف َالمَحَبَّةُ هِيَ أنْ نَسلُكَ بِحَسَبِ وَصايا اللهِ. وَهَذِهِ هِيَ الوَصِيَّةُ كَما سَمِعْتُمُوها مُنذُ البِدايَةِ: اسلُكوا فِي حَياةِ المَحَبَّةِ.

And this is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, according as ye have heard from the beginning, that ye might walk in it.

7 ل َقَدْ ظَهَرَ العَدِيدُ مِنَ المُضِلِّينَ فِي العالَمِ، الَّذِينَ لا يَعتَرِفُونَ أنَّ يَسُوعَ المَسِيحِ قَدْ أتَى إلَى الأرْضِ فِي الجَسَدِ. مَنْ يَفعَلُ ذَلِكَ هُوَ المُضِلُّ، وَهُوَ ضِدُّ المَسِيحِ.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, they who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in flesh—this is the deceiver and the antichrist.

8 ل ِذَلِكَ انتَبِهُوا لِأنفُسِكُمْ لِئَلّا يَضيعَ ما عَمِلْتُمْ مِنْ أجلِهِ، بَلْ تَنالُوا ثَوابَكُمُ الكامِلَ.

See to yourselves, that we may not lose what we have wrought, but may receive full wages.

9 ك ُلُّ مَنْ يَخرُجُ عَلَى تَعلِيمِ المَسِيحِ وَلا يُطِيعُ وَصاياهُ، فَإنَّ اللهَ لَيسَ مِنْ نَصِيبِهِ. وَمَنْ يَتَمَسَّكُ بِذَلِكَ التَّعلِيمِ، فَلَهُ الآبُ وَالابنُ.

Whosoever goes forward and abides not in the doctrine of the Christ has not God. He that abides in the doctrine, he has both the Father and the Son.

10 إ نْ أتاكُمْ مَنْ لا يَحمِلُ هَذا التَّعلِيمَ، لا تَستَقبِلُوهُ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ وَلا تُحَيُّوهُ،

If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine, do not receive him into house, and greet him not;

11 ل ِأنَّ مَنْ يُحَيِّيْهِ يُشارِكُهُ فِي أفعالِهِ الشِّرِّيْرَةِ.

for he who greets him partakes in his wicked works.

12 ل َدَيَّ الكَثِيرُ لِأقُولَهُ لَكُمْ، لَكِنِّي لا أُفَضِّلُ أنْ أكتُبَ لَكُمْ بِقَلَمٍ وَحِبْرٍ، بَلْ أرجو أنْ أزُورَكُمْ لِأراكُمْ وَأُحَدِّثَكُمْ وَجهاً لِوَجهٍ، فَيَكتَمِلُ فَرَحُنا.

Having many things to write to you, I would not with paper and ink; but hope to come to you, and to speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full.

13 أ بناءُ أُختِكِ الَّتِي اختارَها اللهُ يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيكِ.

The children of thine elect sister greet thee.