1This letter comes from the elder ⁰to the chosen lady ¹and her children, whom I love in the truth. Not just from me, but from everyone who knows the truth,

2because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.

3May 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.

4I was delighted to discover that some of your children are following the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

5Now 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.

6This 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. ²

7I'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.

8Be careful that you don't lose what we've worked so hard for, and that you receive all that you should.

9All those who become extremists ³and 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.

10If people come to you and don't show evidence of Christ's teaching, don't take them in, don't welcome them—

11for if you encourage them you share in their evil work.

12I 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!

13Greetings to you from the children of your chosen sister.