2 John 1:1-3 John 1:15

Moffatt^{(i) 1} The presbyter, to the elect Lady and her children whom I love in the Truth (and not only I but all who know the Truth) ² for the sake of the Truth which remains within us and will be with us for ever: ³ grace, mercy, peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. ⁴ I was overjoyed to find some of your children leading the true Life, as we were commanded to do by the Father. ⁵ And now I entreat you, Lady — not as though I were writing you any new command, it is the command which we have had from the very beginning — let us love one another. ⁶ To live by his commands, that is what love means: and the command is, live in love as you have learned to do from the very beginning. ⁷ I say this, because a number of impostors have emerged in the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; that marks the real 'impostor' and 'antichrist.' ⁸ Watch yourselves; you must not lose what you have been working for, but gain a full reward. ⁹ Anyone who is 'advanced' and will not remain by the doctrine of Christ, does not possess God: he who remains by the doctrine of Christ possesses both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not admit him to the house — do not even greet him, ¹¹ for he who greets him shares in his wicked work. ¹² I have a great deal to write to you, but I do not mean to use ink and paper; I hope to visit you and have a talk with you, so that your joy may be unimpaired. ¹³ The children of your elect Sister greet you.

3 John

¹ The presbyter, to the beloved Gaius whom I love in the Truth. ² Beloved, I pray you may prosper in every way and keep well — as indeed your soul is keeping well. ³ For I was overjoyed when some brothers arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do lead the true Life; ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear of my children living in the Truth. ⁵ Beloved, you are acting loyally in rendering any service to the brothers and especially to strangers; ⁶ they have testified to your love before the church. Pray speed them on their journey worthily of God; ⁷ they have started out for his sake and declined to take anything from pagans; ⁸ hence we are bound to support such men, to prove ourselves allies of the Truth. ⁹ I have written to the church; only, Diotrephes, who likes to take the lead among them, repudiates me. ¹⁰ So when I come, I shall bring up what he is doing, babbling against me with wicked words — and, not satisfied with words, he refuses to welcome the brothers, checks those who want to welcome them, and excommunicates them from the church. ¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate evil but good; he who does good belongs to God, he who does evil has never seen God. ¹² Everybody testifies to Demetrius, and so does the Truth itself: I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true. ¹³ I had a great deal to write to you, but I do not want to write to you with ink and pen; ¹⁴ I am hoping to see you soon, and we will have a talk. [15] Peace to you! The friends salute you: salute the friends one by one.