Ο πρεσβυτερος εκλεκτη κυρια και τοις τεκνοις αυτης, ους εγω αγαπω εν αληθεια, και ουκ εγω μονος αλλα και παντες οι εγνωκοτες την αληθειαν, δια την αληθειαν την μενουσαν εν ἡμιν, και μεθ' ἡμων εσται εις τον αιωνα. εσται μεθ' ἡμων χαρις, ελεος, ειρηνη, παρα Θεου πατρος και παρα Κυριου Ιησου Χριστου του υιου του πατρος, εν αληθεια και αγαπη. Εχαρην λιαν ὁτι ευρηκα εκ των τεκνων σου περιπατουντας εν αληθεια, καθως εντολην ελαβομεν παρα του πατρος. και νυν ερωτω σε, κυρια, ουχ ὡς εντολην γραφων σοι καινην, αλλα ἡν ειχομεν απ' αρχης, ἱνα αγαπωμεν αλληλους. και αυτη εστιν ἡ αγαπη, ἱνα περιπατωμεν κατα τας εντολας αυτου. αυτη εστιν ἡ εντολη, καθως ηκουσατε απ' αρχης, ἱνα εν αυτη περιπατητε· ὁτι πολλοι πλανοι εισηλθον εις τον κοσμον, οι μη ὁμολογουντες Ιησουν Χριστον ερχομενον εν σαρκι· ουτος εστιν ὁ πλανος και ὁ αντιχριστος· βλεπετε ἑαυτους, ἱνα μη απολεσωμεν α ειργασαμεθα, αλλα μισθον πληρη απολαβωμεν. πας ὁ παραβαινων και μη μενων εν τη διδαχη του Χριστου Θεον ουκ εχει· ὁ μενων εν τη διδαχη ουτος και τον πατερα και τον υιον εχει. ει τις ερχεται προς ὑμας και ταυτην την διδαχην ου φερει, μη λαμβανετε αυτον εις οικιαν, και χαιρειν αυτω μη λεγετε· ὁ γαρ λεγων αυτω χαιρειν κοινωνει τοις εργοις αυτου τοις πονηροις. Πολλα εχων ὑμιν γραφειν ουκ ηβουληθην δια χαρτου και μελανος· αλλα ελπιζω ελθειν προς ὑμας και στομα προς στομα λαλησαι, ἱνα ἡ χαρα ἡμων η πεπληρωμενη. Ασπαζεται σε τα τεκνα της αδελφης σου της εκλεκτης. αμην.

Senior electæ dominæ et natis eius, quos ego diligo in veritate, et non ego solus sed et omnes qui cognoverunt veritatem, propter veritatem quæ permanet in nobis et nobis cum erit in æternum. Sit nobiscum gratia misericordia pax a Deo Patre et Christo Iesu Filio Patris in veritate et caritate. Gavisus sum valde quoniam inveni de filii tuis ambulantes in veritate sicut mandatum accepimus a Patre. Et nunc rogo te, domina, non tamquam mandatum novum scribens tibi, sed quod habuimus ab initio, ut diligamus alterutrum. Et hæc est caritas, ut ambulemus secundum mandata eius. Hoc mandatum est ut quemadmodum audistis ab initio in eo ambuletis. Quoniam multi seductores exierunt in mundum qui non confitentur Iesum Christum venientem in carne. Hic est seductor et antichristus. Videte vosmet ipsos, ne perdatis quæ operati estis, sed ut mercedam plenum accipiatis. Omnis qui præcedit et non manet in doctrina Christi, Deum non habet: qui permanet in doctrina, hic et Filium et Patrem habet. Si quis venit ad vos, et hanc doctrinam non adfert, nolite recipere eum in domumnec ave ei dixeritis: qui enim dicit illi ave, communicat operibus illius malignis. Plura habens vobis scribere, nolui per cartam et atramentum: spero enim me futurum apud vos et os ad os loqui, ut gaudium vestrum sit plenum. Salutant te filii sororis tuæ electæ.

The 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; for the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace 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. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And 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. And this280 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. For 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. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever 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. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Having 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. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth; for the truth's sake which abideth in us, and it shall be with us for ever: Grace, mercy, peace shall be with us, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoice greatly that I have found certain of thy children walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we should walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works. Having many things to write unto you, I would not write them with paper and ink: but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be fulfilled. The children of thine elect sister salute thee.

The Elder unto the excellent Kyria and her children whom I love in truth, (and not I only, but also all they that know the truth) for the truth's sake which abideth in us—yea, and with us it shall be for ever. There shall be with you grace, mercy, peace from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I was exceeding glad that I found of thy children walking in truth even as we received commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee Kyria, not as though writing a fresh commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is the love, that we should walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment as ye heard from the beginning that ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are gone out into the world, even they who are not confessing Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. This the deceiver, and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that ye lose not the things which ye have worked, but that ye receive reward in full. Every one leading forward and not abiding in the doctrine which is Christ's hath not God: he that abideth in the doctrine, the same hath both the Son and the Father. If there come unto you any and 281bringeth not the doctrine, receive him not into your house, and no good speed wish him. For he that wisheth him good speed partaketh in his works which are evil. Having many things to write unto you I would not write with paper and ink, but I hope to be with you and to speak face to face, that our joy may be fulfilled. The children of thine elect sister greet thee.