Chapter 1

¹The Elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I truly love—and not only I but all who know the truth— ²because of the truth that stays in our hearts and will be with us forever; ³blessing, mercy, and peace be with us from God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

⁴It makes me exceedingly happy to find that some of your children are guided by truth, just as we have been commanded to be by the Father. ⁵And now I beg you, my lady—not as though I were writing you any new command, but one which we have had from the beginning—let us love one another. ⁶Love means this, that we be guided by his commands. The command, as you have heard from the beginning, is to be guided by love. ⁷For many impostors have gone out into the world—men who do not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in human form. That is the mark of the impostor and the Antichrist. ⁸Look out for yourselves, take care not to lose what we have worked for, but make sure that you are paid for it in full. ⁹Anyone who goes too far and does not keep to the teaching of Christ has not God. It is the man who holds to the teaching who has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰If anyone comes to you without bringing this teaching, do not let him come into the house or bid him good morning. ¹¹For anyone who bids him good morning shares in his wicked work.

¹²Though I have a great deal to write to you, I would rather not write it with paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you, and talk with you face to face, so that your happiness may be complete. ¹³The children of your chosen sister wish to be remembered to you.