¹ The elder,^(A)

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

¹⁸ Dear children,^(A) let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.^(B)

¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus^(A) and Gaius,^(B)

²³ Gaius,^(A) whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus,^(B) who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.

¹ 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)— ² because of the truth,^(E) which lives in us^(F) and will be with us forever:

³ 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.

⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,^(H) just as the Father commanded us. ⁵ 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. ⁶ 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.

⁷ 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) 8} Watch out that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.^{(Q) 9} 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.

⁴ He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus^(A) and Secundus from Thessalonica,^(B) Gaius^(C) from Derbe, Timothy^(D) also, and Tychicus^(E) and Trophimus^(F) from the province of Asia.^(G)

²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius^(A) and Aristarchus,^(B) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,^(C) and all of them rushed into the theater together.