¹From the elder.

To the lady, who has been chosen by God, and to her children. I love all of you in the truth, and I’m not the only one who loves you. So does everyone who knows the truth.

²We love you because of the truth that lives in us and will be with us forever.

³May God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son give us grace, mercy, and peace in truth and love.

⁴It made me very happy to find some of your children living by the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

⁵And now, dear lady, I’m not writing you a new command. I’m writing one we’ve had from the beginning. I’m asking that we love one another.

⁶The way we show our love is by obeying God’s commands. As you’ve heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

⁷I say this because many people have gone out into the world to try to deceive others. They don’t agree that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. These people are like the great enemy of Christ.

⁸Make sure you don’t lose what we’ve worked for, but make sure you get your full reward.

⁹If anyone leaves the teaching of Christ behind and doesn’t remain in it, that person doesn’t have God. But whoever remains in the teaching about Christ has both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t let them stay in your home. Don’t even say hello to them.

¹¹Anyone who welcomes them shares in their evil work.

¹²I have a lot to write to you, but I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you so we can talk face to face. That will make our joy complete.

¹³The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.