1. The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth;

and not I only, but also all they that know the truth;

2 for the truth's sake which abideth in us, and it shall be with us for

ever:

3 Grace, mercy, peace shall be with us, from God the Father, and from

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I rejoice greatly that I have found [certain] of thy children walking

in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father.

5. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new

commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one

another.

6 And this is love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is

the commandment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk

in it.

7. For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that

confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and

the antichrist.

8 Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought,

but that ye receive a full reward.

9 Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath

not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and

the Son.

10. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive

him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting:

11 for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.

12. Having many things to write unto you, I would not [write them] with

paper and ink: but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that

your joy may be made full.

13 The children of thine elect sister salute thee.