1-2 My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I’m not alone—everyone who knows the Truth that has taken up permanent residence in us loves you.

Let grace, mercy, and peace be with us in truth and love from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, Son of the Father!

4-6 I can’t tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father. But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.

Don’t Walk Out on God

There are a lot of smooth-talking con artists loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist!

8-9 And be very careful around them so you don’t lose out on what we’ve worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you. Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son.

10-11 If anyone shows up who doesn’t hold to this teaching, don’t invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.

12-13 I have a lot more things to tell you, but I’d rather not use paper and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. That will be far more satisfying to both you and me. Everyone here in your sister congregation sends greetings.

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

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

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

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

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

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

El anciano,

a la señora elegida y a sus hijos, a quienes amo en la verdad —y no solo yo, sino todos los que han conocido la verdad—, a causa de esa verdad que permanece en nosotros y que estará con nosotros para siempre:

La gracia, la misericordia y la paz de Dios el Padre y de Jesucristo, el Hijo del Padre, estarán con nosotros en verdad y en amor.

Me alegré muchísimo al encontrar a algunos de tus hijos viviendo conforme a la verdad, según el mandamiento que nos dio el Padre. Y ahora, señora, ruego que nos amemos los unos a los otros. Y no es que le esté escribiendo un mandamiento nuevo, sino el que hemos tenido desde el principio. En esto consiste el amor: en que pongamos en práctica sus mandamientos. Y este es el mandamiento: que vivan en este amor, tal como lo han escuchado desde el principio.

Es que han salido por el mundo muchos engañadores que no confiesan que Jesucristo ha venido en cuerpo.[a] El que así actúa es el engañador y el anticristo. Cuídense de no echar a perder el fruto de nuestro trabajo;[b] procuren más bien recibir la recompensa completa. Todo el que se descarría y no permanece en la enseñanza de Cristo no tiene a Dios; el que permanece en la enseñanza[c] sí tiene al Padre y al Hijo. 10 Si alguien los visita y no lleva esta enseñanza, no lo reciban en casa ni le den la bienvenida, 11 pues quien le da la bienvenida se hace cómplice de sus malas obras.

12 Aunque tengo muchas cosas que decirles, no he querido hacerlo por escrito, pues espero visitarlos y hablar personalmente con ustedes para que nuestra alegría sea completa.

13 Los hijos de tu hermana, la elegida, te mandan saludos.

Footnotes

  1. 1:7 cuerpo. Alt. carne.
  2. 1:8 el fruto de nuestro trabajo. Lit. lo que hemos trabajado. Var. lo que ustedes han trabajado.
  3. 1:9 enseñanza. Var. enseñanza de Cristo.