1 T he 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.

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

2 I t is because the truth is in us and will be with us forever.

نُحِبُّكُمْ لِأنَّ الحَقَّ فِينا، وَسَيَبقَى إلَى الأبَدِ مَعَنا.

3 L oving-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.

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

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

كَمْ كانَ سُرُورِي عَظِيماً لِأنِّي وَجَدتُ بَعضَ أبنائِكِ يَعِيشُونَ فِي الحَقِّ، كَما أوصانا الآبُ.

5 A nd 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.

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

6 L ove 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.

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

7 T here 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.

لَقَدْ 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.

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

لِذَلِكَ انتَبِهُوا لِأنفُسِكُمْ لِئَلّا يَضيعَ ما عَمِلْتُمْ مِنْ أجلِهِ، بَلْ تَنالُوا ثَوابَكُمُ الكامِلَ.

9 A nyone 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.

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

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

إنْ أتاكُمْ مَنْ لا يَحمِلُ هَذا التَّعلِيمَ، لا تَستَقبِلُوهُ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ وَلا تُحَيُّوهُ،

11 T he person who does has a share in his sins.

لِأنَّ مَنْ يُحَيِّيْهِ يُشارِكُهُ فِي أفعالِهِ الشِّرِّيْرَةِ.

12 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.

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

13 T he children of your chosen sister greet you.

أبناءُ أُختِكِ الَّتِي اختارَها اللهُ يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيكِ.