| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth--and not I only, but also all who know the truth-- | 1The Elder: To the elect lady and her children: I love all of you in the truth--and not only I, but also all who have come to know the truth-- |
| 2because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: | 2because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. |
| 3Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love. | 3Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. |
| 4It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. | 4I was very glad to find some of your children walking in the truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. |
| 5And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. | 5So now I urge you, dear lady--not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another. |
| 6And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. | 6And this is love: that we walk according to His commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: you must walk in love. |
| 7I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. | 7Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. |
| 8Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. | 8Watch yourselves so you don't lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward. |
| 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. | 9Anyone who does not remain in Christ's teaching but goes beyond it, does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son. |
| 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. | 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don't say, "Welcome," to him; |
| 11Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. | 11for the one who says, "Welcome," to him shares in his evil works. |
| 12I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. | 12Though I have many things to write to you, I don't want to do so with paper and ink. Instead, I hope to be with you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete. |
| 13The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings. | 13The children of your elect sister send you greetings. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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