2 John 1
1 I, a ruler in the church, send word to the noble sister who is of God's selection, and to her children, for whom I have true love; and not only I, but all who have knowledge of what is true;
From the elder, to the lady chosen by God and her children. I truly love you all, and I am not the only one but all who know the truth love you as well.
We love you for the sake of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever. (aiōn g165)
3 May grace, mercy, and peace be with us from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in all true love.
Grace, mercy, and peace will be ours – the gift of God, the Father, and of Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son – in truth and love.
4 It gave me great joy to see some of your children walking in the true way, even as we were ordered to do by the Father.
It was a great joy to me to find the lives of some of your children guided by the truth, in obedience to the command that we received from the Father.
5 And now, my sister, I make a request to you, not sending you a new law, but the law which we had from the first, that we have love for one another.
And now I implore you, dear lady, let us love one another This is not a new command I am writing to you. It is the command we have had from the beginning. – Let us love one another.
6 And love is the keeping of his laws. This is the law which was given to you from the first, so that you might keep it.
And this is love – to live in obedience to the Father’s commands. This is the command as you learned from the beginning, to live a life of love.
7 Because a number of false teachers have gone out into the world, who do not give witness that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Such a one is a false teacher and Antichrist.
I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world – men who do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in flesh and blood. Any such person is a deceiver and antichrist.
8 Keep watch over yourselves, so that you do not make our work of no effect, but may get your full reward.
Take care so that you do not what we have worked for but instead receive your full reward.
9 Anyone who goes on and does not keep to the teaching of Christ, has not God: he who keeps to the teaching has the Father and the Son.
Anyone who goes beyond and fails to live inside of the teaching of Christ does not have God. The person who lives inside that teaching – they have both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you not having this teaching, do not take him into your house or give him words of love:
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive them into your house or even welcome them;
11 For he who gives him words of love has a part in his evil works.
because the person who welcomes them is sharing with them in his evil work.
12 Having much to say to you, it is not my purpose to put it all down with paper and ink: but I am hoping to come to you, and to have talk with you face to face, so that your joy may be full.
Though I have many other things to tell you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come and see you, and to speak with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 The children of your noble sister, who is of God's selection, send you their love.
The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send you their greetings.
