A Greeting from the Elder
(2 John 1:1–3)

1The Elder. To the beloued Gaius, whom I loue in the trueth.

2My beloued, I wysshe in all thinges, that thou prospere and fare well euen as thy soule prospereth. 3I reioysed greatly, whan the brethren came, and testified of the trueth that is in ye, how thou walkest in the trueth. 4I haue no greater ioye, the to heare that my childre walke in the trueth.

Gaius Commended for Hospitality

5My beloued, thou doest faithfully what so euer thou doest to the brethren and to straugers, 6which haue borne witnesse of thy loue before the congregacion: and thou hast done well that thou dyddest brynge them forwarde on their iourney, worthely before God. 7For because of his names sake they wente forth, and toke nothinge of the Heythen. 8We therfore oughte to receaue soch, that we mighte be helpers vnto the trueth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

9I wrote to the congregacion, but Diotriphes, which loueth to haue the preemynence amonge them, receaued vs not. 10Wherfore, yf I come, I wil declare his dedes which he doeth, ieastinge vpo vs with malicious wordes: nether is he therwith cotent. Not onely he himselfe receaueth not the brethre, but also he forbyddeth them that wolde, and thrusteth them out of the congregacion.

11My beloued, folowe not yt which is euell, but that which is good. He that doeth well, is of God: but he that doeth euell, seyth not God. 12Demetrius hath good reporte of all men, and of the trueth: yee and we oure selues also beare recorde, and ye knowe that oure recorde is true.

Conclusion
(2 John 1:12–13)

13I had many thinges to wryte, but I wolde not with ynke, and pen wryte vnto the.

14But I trust shortly to se the and so wyl we speake together mouth to mouth. Peace be with the. The louers salute the. Grete the louers by name.