| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known 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 abides 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 will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord 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 Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. |
| 4I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. | 4I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us. |
| 5And 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: 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. |
| 6This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. | 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. |
| 7For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an 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! |
| 8Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. | 8Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. |
| 9Whoever 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. | 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 doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; | 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, |
| 11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. | 11because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds. |
| 12Having 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, that our joy may be full. | 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 elect sister greet you. Amen. | 13The children of your elect sister greet you. |
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