Greeting
1 aThe elder to the elect lady and her children, bwhom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who cknow dthe truth, 2 ebecause of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 fGrace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
Walking in Truth and Love
4 gI rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—hnot as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—ithat we love one another. 6 And jthis is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just kas you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For lmany deceivers mhave gone out into the world, nthose who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, oso that you may not lose what we1 have worked for, but pmay win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, qdoes not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching qhas both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, rdo not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him stakes part in his wicked works.
Final Greetings
12 tThough I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. uInstead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, vso that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what1 is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
3 cDo not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4 dDo not toil to acquire wealth;
ebe discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
ffor suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 gDo not eat the bread of a man who is hstingy;2
ido not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.3
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his jheart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 kDo not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their lRedeemer is strong;
he will mplead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold ndiscipline from a child;
oif you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
you will psave his soul from Sheol.
15 qMy son, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
16 My rinmost being4 will exult
when your lips speak swhat is right.
17 Let not your heart tenvy sinners,
but continue in uthe fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely vthere is a future,
and your whope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and xbe wise,
and ydirect your heart in the way.
or among agluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and bslumber will clothe them with rags.
22 cListen to your father who gave you life,
dand do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 eBuy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 fThe father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 fLet your father and mother be glad;
let gher who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe6 my ways.
27 For a prostitute is ha deep pit;
ian adulteress7 is a narrow jwell.
28 kShe lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.
29 lWho has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has mwounds without cause?
Who has nredness of eyes?
30 Those who otarry long over wine;
those who go to try pmixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it qbites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter rperverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.8
35 “They sstruck me,” you will say,9 “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I tmust have another drink.”
