| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 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, | 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 abides in us and will be with us forever: | 2because the truth lives 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, 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. |
| 4I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 6Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. | 8Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your 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. | 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 doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; | 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. |
| 11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. | 11Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work. |
| 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. | 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 elect sister greet you. Amen. | 13Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All Rights Reserved. |
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