1The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
12Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
Pozdrav
1Od starješine Ivana1 U grčkome: samo od starješine. izabranoj Gospođi i njezinoj djeci1 Ili: od Boga izabranoj crkvi i njezinim članovima; ili: izabranoj Kiriji i njezinoj djeci. koju volim u Istini—i to ne samo ja, već svi oni koji su Istinu upoznali 2—radi istine koja je trajno u nama i bit će s nama zauvijek.
3Neka budu s nama milost, milosrđe i mir koji dolaze od Boga Oca i od njegova Sina Isusa Krista u istini i ljubavi.
Život u istini
4Silno sam se obradovao što sam među tvojom djecom našao takve koji žive u istini, kao što nam je zapovjedio Otac.
5A sada te molim, Gospođo, da volimo jedni druge. Ne pišem ti to neku novu zapovijed, već onu koju smo imali od početka. 6Ljubav se sastoji u tomu da živimo po Božjim zapovijedima. Živite u toj zapovijedi da ljubite jedni druge, kao što ste čuli od početka.
7U svijetu su se pojavili brojni zavodnici koji ne priznaju da je Isus Krist došao na zemlju u tijelu. Takvi su ljudi obmanjivači i antikristi. 8Pazite da ne izgubite ono što ste već stekli, nego da primite potpunu plaću. 9Tko god zakorači izvan Kristova učenja, neće imati zajedništva s Bogom. Ali tko ostane u Kristovu učenju, imat će zajedništvo i s Ocem i sa Sinom.
10Dođe li vas tko poučavati, a ne donosi to učenje, ne pozivajte ga u svoj dom i ne pozdravljajte ga. 11Pozdravljate li ga, sudionici ste u njegovim zlodjelima.
Završetak i pozdrav
12Mnogo vam još toga imam kazati, ali ne želim to učiniti u pismu. Nadam se da ću doći k vama i licem u lice s vama razgovarati da naša radost bude potpuna.
13Pozdravljaju te djeca tvoje sestre,13 Ili: članovi tvoje sestrinske crkve. izabranice Božje.
