1 THE SECOND LETTER OF JOHN Greeting From the Elder, to the chosen Lady and her children, whom I truly love.a And it’s not just me that loves you-so does everybody who knows the truth.
2 Because the truth has stayed with us,b and it’s going to be with us forever.
3 Grace, mercy, and peace are going to be with us in the presence ofc God our Father and in the presence ofd our Father’s Son, Jesus Christ,e in truth and love.
4 Truth and Love I was overjoyed to discover that some of your children are livingf in the truth, in line with the command we’ve received from the Father.
5 And now, Lady, I’m asking you. It’s not as though I’m writing a new command. Far from it-it’s the one that we’ve had from the beginning: that we should love one another.
6 And this is what love is: livingg in line with God’s commands. This is exactly the command that you’ve heard from the beginning, that you’re supposed to liveh in line with.
7 Because lots of deceivers have gone out into the world-who don’t acknowledge the physical nature of Jesus Christ’s coming.i That’s the deceiver and the antichrist.j
8 Watch out for yourselves, so that you don’t lose what you’ve achieved, and you get your full reward.k
9 Everybody that goes off ahead, and doesn’t stay with the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. The person that stays with the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
10 If somebody comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t let them into your house, and don’t say hello to them.
11 Because the person that says hello to them joins in their evil activities.
12 Final Words I have a lot of things to write to you, but I’d rather not do it through paper and ink. Instead, I’m hoping to be with you and to talk face to face.l That way, our joy can be complete.
13 The children of your sister community say hello to you.