| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1From the elder, to an elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth (and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth), | 1From: The Elder To: The chosen lady and her children, whom I genuinely love, and not only I but also all who know the truth, |
| 2because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever. | 2that is present in us and will be with us forever. |
| 3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. | 3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus the Messiah, the Father's Son, in truth and love. |
| 4I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us. | 4I was overjoyed to find some of your children living truthfully, just as the Father has commanded us. |
| 5But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another. | 5Dear lady, I am now requesting of you that we all continue to love one another. It is not as though I am writing to give you a new commandment, but one that we have had from the beginning. |
| 6(Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it. | 6And this is what demonstrates love: that we live according to God's commandments. Just as you have heard from the beginning what he commanded, you must live by it. |
| 7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! | 7For many deceivers have gone out into the world. They refuse to acknowledge Jesus the Messiah as having become human. Any such person is a deceiver and an antichrist. |
| 8Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. | 8See to it that you don't destroy what we have worked for, but that you receive your full reward. |
| 9Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. | 9Everyone who does not remain true to the teaching of the Messiah, but goes beyond it, does not have God. The person who remains true to the teaching of the Messiah has both the Father and the Son. |
| 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting, | 10If anyone comes to you but does not present his teachings, do not receive him into your house or even welcome him, |
| 11because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds. | 11because the one who welcomes him shares in his evil deeds. |
| 12Though I have many other things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come visit you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete. | 12Although I have a great deal to write to you, I would prefer not to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. |
| 13The children of your elect sister greet you. | 13The children of your chosen sister greet you. Greetings from John |
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