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From the Elder--- To the dear Lady and to her children, whom I truly love. And I am not the only one, but all who know the truth love you,
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because the truth remains in us and will be with us forever.
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May God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, give us grace, mercy, and peace; may they be ours in truth and love.
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How happy I was to find that some of your children live in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
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And so I ask you, dear Lady: let us all love one another. This is no new command I am writing you; it is the command which we have had from the beginning.
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This love I speak of means that we must live in obedience to God's commands. The command, as you have all heard from the beginning, is that you must all live in love.
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Many deceivers have gone out over the world, people who do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ came as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and the Enemy of Christ.
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Be on your guard, then, so that you will not lose what we have worked for, but will receive your reward in full.
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Anyone who does not stay with the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God. Whoever does stay with the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
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So then, if some come to you who do not bring this teaching, do not welcome them in your homes; do not even say, "Peace be with you."
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For anyone who wishes them peace becomes their partner in the evil things they do.
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I have so much to tell you, but I would rather not do it with paper and ink; instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you personally, so that we shall be completely happy.
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The children of your dear Sister send you their greetings.
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From the Elder--- To my dear Gaius, whom I truly love.
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My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health---as I know you are well in spirit.
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I was so happy when some Christians arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth---just as you always live in the truth.
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Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.
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My dear friend, you are so faithful in the work you do for other Christians, even when they are strangers.
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They have spoken to the church here about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way that will please God.
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For they set out on their trip in the service of Christ without accepting any help from unbelievers.
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We Christians, then, must help these people, so that we may share in their work for the truth.
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I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay any attention to what I say.
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When I come, then, I will bring up everything he has done: the terrible things he says about us and the lies he tells! But that is not enough for him; he will not receive the Christians when they come, and even stops those who want to receive them and tries to drive them out of the church!
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My dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good belongs to God; whoever does what is bad has not seen God.
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Everyone speaks well of Demetrius; truth itself speaks well of him. And we add our testimony, and you know that what we say is true.
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I have so much to tell you, but I do not want to do it with pen and ink.
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I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk personally. (1:15) Peace be with you. All your friends send greetings. Greet all our friends personally.
