1 T he elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all those 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 truth’s sake, which remains in us, and it 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 the Lord 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 rejoice greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, even as we have been commanded by 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 beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we 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 T his is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you 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 don’t confess that Jesus Christ came 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 we don’t lose the things which we have accomplished, but that we 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 W hoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same 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 doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,

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 he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds.

The person who does has a share in his sins.

12 H aving many things to write to you, I don’t want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our 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. Amen.

The children of your chosen sister greet you.