1 ^aThe elder to the ^belect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who ^cknow the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 ^dGrace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children ^ewalking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—^fnot as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we ^glove one another. 6 And ^hthis is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, ⁱjust as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 7 For ^jmany ^kdeceivers have gone out into the world, those who ^ldo not confess the coming of Jesus Christ ^min the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the ⁿantichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we¹ have worked for, but may win a full ^oreward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever ^pabides 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 takes part in his wicked works.