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Greetings

This letter is from John, the elder.[a]

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children,[b] whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

Live in the Truth

How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.

I am writing to remind you, dear friends,[c] that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came[d] in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we[e] have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

Conclusion

12 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

13 Greetings from the children of your sister,[f] chosen by God.

Footnotes

  1. 1a Greek From the elder.
  2. 1b Or the church God has chosen and its members.
  3. 5 Greek I urge you, lady.
  4. 7 Or will come.
  5. 8 Some manuscripts read you.
  6. 13 Or from the members of your sister church.

Greeting the Elect Lady

The Elder,

To the [a]elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known (A)the truth, because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

(B)Grace, mercy, and peace will be with [b]you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Walk in Christ’s Commandments

I (C)rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: (D)that we love one another. (E)This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that (F)as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Beware of Antichrist Deceivers

For (G)many deceivers have gone out into the world (H)who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. (I)This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (J)Look to yourselves, (K)that [c]we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

(L)Whoever [d]transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and (M)does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

John’s Farewell Greeting

12 (N)Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, (O)that our joy may be full.

13 (P)The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:1 chosen
  2. 2 John 1:3 NU, M us
  3. 2 John 1:8 NU you
  4. 2 John 1:9 NU goes ahead

Greeting

The elder:

To the elect(A) lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth(B) because of the truth that remains in us(C) and will be with us forever.

Grace, mercy, and peace(D) will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son(E) of the Father, in truth and love.(F)

Truth and Deception

I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth,(G) in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.(H) This is love:(I) that we walk according to his commands.(J) This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: that you walk in love.[a]

Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.(K) This is the deceiver and the antichrist.(L) Watch yourselves so that you don’t lose what we[b] have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward.(M) Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching(N) but goes beyond it does not have God.(O) The one who remains(P) in that teaching, this one has both the Father(Q) and the Son.(R) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive(S) him into your home, and do not greet him; 11 for the one who greets him shares(T) in his evil works.(U)

Farewell

12 Though I have many things to write to you,(V) I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy(W) may be complete.

13 The children of your elect sister send you greetings.

Footnotes

  1. 6 Or in it
  2. 8 Other mss read you

The elder,(A)

To the lady chosen by God(B) and to her children, whom I love in the truth(C)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth(D) because of the truth,(E) which lives in us(F) and will be with us forever:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,(G) the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,(H) just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.(I) I ask that we love one another. And this is love:(J) that we walk in obedience to his commands.(K) As you have heard from the beginning,(L) his command is that you walk in love.

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ(M) as coming in the flesh,(N) have gone out into the world.(O) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.(P) Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(Q) Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ(R) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.(S) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.(T) 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares(U) in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face,(V) so that our joy may be complete.(W)

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

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you

I, the elder, to you, a lady chosen by God along with her children. I truly love all of you and am confident that all who know the truth share in my love for you. The truth, which lives faithfully within all of us and will be with us for all eternity, is the basis for our abounding love. May grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Jesus the Anointed, the Father’s own Son, surround you and be with you always in truth and love.

I was so filled with joy to hear stories about your children walking in truth, in the very way the Father called us to live. So now, dear lady, I am asking you to live by the command that we love one another. I’m not writing to you some new commandment; it’s one we received in the beginning from our Lord. Love is defined by our obedience to His commands. This is the same command you have known about from the very beginning; you must live by it. The corrupt world is filled with liars and frauds who deny the reality that Jesus the Anointed has come into the world as a man of flesh and blood. These people are deceivers and antiChrists.[a] Ensure that you do not lose what we have worked for so that you will be fully rewarded.

Any person who drifts away and fails to live in the teachings of the Anointed One, our Liberating King, does not have God. But the person who lives in this teaching will have both the Father and the Son. 10 If any person comes to you with a teaching that does not align with the true message of Jesus, do not welcome that person into your house or greet him as you would a true brother. 11 Anyone who welcomes this person has become a partner in advancing his wicked agenda.

12 I have so much more to tell you, but I would rather meet with you personally than try to capture these sentiments by ink on paper. I hope to come and see you so that our joy will be complete.

13 The children of your chosen sister send you warm greetings.

Footnotes

  1. Verse 7 Literally, those who oppose the Anointed One and His kingdom