| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth--and not I only, but also all who know the truth-- | 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), |
| 2because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: | 2because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever. |
| 3Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love. | 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. |
| 4It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. | 4I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us. |
| 5And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. | 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. |
| 6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. | 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. |
| 7I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. | 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! |
| 8Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. | 8Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. |
| 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. | 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. |
| 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. | 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, |
| 11Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. | 11because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds. |
| 12I 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, so that our joy may be complete. | 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. |
| 13The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings. | 13The children of your elect sister greet you. |
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