2 John 1
1 This letter comes from the elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth. Not just from me, but from everyone who knows the truth,
To an eminent Christian Lady, and to her Children, from the Officer of the Church. I sincerely love you all, and not I only, but also all those who have learned to know the Truth.
We love you for the sake of that Truth which is always in our hearts; yes, and it will be ours for ever. (aiōn g165)
3 May grace, mercy and peace continue to be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and in love.
Blessing, mercy, and peace will be ours — the gift of God, the Father, and of Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son — in a life of truth and love.
4 I was delighted to discover that some of your children are following the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
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 Now I'm telling you, dear lady, not as a new instruction, but following what we've understood from the beginning, that we should love one another.
And now, I pray you, Lady — not as though I were writing a new command for you; no, it is the command which we had from the first — Let us love one another.
6 This is what love is: we should follow God's commands. The command, just as you heard right from the beginning, is that you should live in love.
And this is love — to live in obedience to the Father’s commands. This is the Command as you learned from the first, to live in a spirit of love.
7 I'm telling you this because many deceivers have left and gone out into the world. They don't accept that Jesus Christ has come as a human being. Anyone like this is a deceiver and an antichrist.
I say this because many impostors have left us to go into the world — men who do not acknowledge Jesus as Christ come in our human nature. It is that which marks a man as an impostor and an anti-Christ.
8 Be careful that you don't lose what we've worked so hard for, and that you receive all that you should.
Take care that you do not lose the fruit of all our work; rather, reap the benefit of it in full.
9 All those who become extremists and don't continue to follow the teaching of Christ don't have God with them. Those who continue to follow the teaching of Christ have both the Father and the Son with them.
Every one who goes beyond the limits of the Teaching of the Christ has failed to find God; the man who keeps to that Teaching — he has found both the Father and the Son.
10 If people come to you and don't show evidence of Christ's teaching, don't take them in, don't welcome them—
If any one comes to you and does not bring this Teaching, do not receive him into your house or welcome him;
11 for if you encourage them you share in their evil work.
for the man who welcomes him is sharing with him in his wicked work.
12 I have so many things to tell you that I won't write any more with paper and ink, for I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face. How happy that would make us!
Though I have a great deal to say to you, I would rather not trust it to paper and ink, but I am hoping to come and see you, and to speak with you face to face, so that your joy may be complete.
13 Greetings to you from the children of your chosen sister.
The children of your eminent sister send you their greetings.
