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— 2because of the truth, which lives 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.
4It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 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. 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.
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. 8Watch out that you do not lose what we1:8 Some manuscripts you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 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. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
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.
13The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.
1Dattijon nan,
Zuwa ga uwargida zaɓaɓɓiya da kuma ’ya’yanta, waɗanda nake ƙauna ƙwarai da gaske kuma ba ni kaɗai ba, amma har da dukan waɗanda suka san gaskiya. 2Muna ƙaunarku saboda gaskiyan nan, wadda take cikinmu za tă kuma kasance tare da mu har abada.
3Alheri, jinƙai da kuma salama daga Allah Uba da kuma Yesu Kiristi, Ɗan Uba, su kasance tare da mu cikin gaskiya da ƙauna.
4Na yi farin ciki ƙwarai, da na sami waɗansu ’ya’yanki suna tafiya cikin gaskiya, kamar yadda Uba ya umarce mu. 5Yanzu kuma, uwargida ƙaunatacciya, ba sabon umarni nake rubuta miki ba sai dai wanda muke da shi tun farko. Ina roƙo cewa mu ƙaunaci juna. 6Ƙauna, ita ce mu yi biyayya ga umarnansa. Kamar yadda kuka ji tun da fari, umarninsa shi ne ku yi zaman ƙauna.
7Masu ruɗi da yawa, waɗanda ba su yarda da zuwan Yesu Kiristi cikin jiki ba, sun riga sun fito a duniya. Duk irin mutumin nan mai ruɗi ne kuma magabcin Kiristi. 8Ku lura don kada ku yi hasarar aikin da kuka yi, sai dai ku sami cikakken lada. 9Duk mutumin da bai tsaya a kan koyarwar Kiristi ba, amma ya yi ƙari a kanta, mutumin nan ba shi da Allah. Amma wanda ya tsaya a kan koyarwar Kiristi, yana da Uban da kuma Ɗan. 10Duk wanda ya zo wurinku bai kuma kawo koyarwan nan ba, kada ku karɓe shi a gidanku ko ku marabce shi. 11Duk wanda ya karɓe shi yana tarayya da mugun aikinsa ke nan.
12Ina da abubuwa da dama da zan rubuta muku, sai dai ba na so in yi amfani da takarda da inki in rubuta. A maimako, ina fata in ziyarce ku in kuma yi magana da ku fuska da fuska, domin farin cikinmu yă zama cikakke.
13’Ya’yan ’yar’uwarki wadda Allah ya keɓe, suna gaishe ku.
