1 T he elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

The church leader writes to the chosen lady and to her children. I love you because of the truth. I am not the only one who loves you. All who know the truth love you.

2 f or the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

It is because the truth is in us and will be with us forever.

3 G race, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Loving-favor and loving-kindness and peace are ours as we live in truth and love. These come from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of the Father.

4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.

I am happy to find some of your children living in the truth as the Father has said we should.

5 N ow I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

And now I ask you, lady, that we have love one for the other. I am not writing to you about a new Law but an old one we have had from the beginning.

6 A nd this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

Love means that we should live by obeying His Word. From the beginning He has said in His Word that our hearts should be full of love.

7 F or many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

There are many false teachers in the world. They do not say that Jesus Christ came in a human body. Such a person does not tell the truth. He is the false-christ.

8 W atch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

Watch yourselves! You do not want to lose what we have worked for. You want to get what has been promised to you.

9 A nyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

Anyone who goes too far and does not live by the teachings of Christ does not have God. If you live by what Christ taught, you have both the Father and the Son.

10 I f anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;

If a person comes to you with some other kind of teaching, do not take him into your home. Do not even greet him.

11 f or the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

The person who does has a share in his sins.

12 T hough I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.

I have many things to write to you. I do not want to write them in this letter. But I hope to come to you soon. Then we can talk about these things together that your joy may be full.

13 T he children of your chosen sister greet you.

The children of your chosen sister greet you.