| New International Version | New Living Translation |
| 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-- | 1This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— |
| 2because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: | 2because the truth lives 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, 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 |
| 4It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. | 4How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. |
| 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. | 5I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. |
| 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. | 6Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. |
| 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. | 7I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. |
| 8Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. | 8Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your 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. | 9Anyone 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. |
| 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 your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. |
| 11Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. | 11Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. Conclusion |
| 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. | 12I 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. |
| 13The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings. | 13Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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