2 John 1:2-12

2 ¹because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 ²Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

Walking in Truth and Love

4 ³I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

5 And now I ask you, dear lady--⁴not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--⁵that we love one another.

6 And ⁶this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just ⁷as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

7 For ⁸many deceivers ⁹have gone out into the world, ¹⁰those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

8 Watch yourselves, ¹¹so that you may not lose what we^[a] have worked for, but ¹²may win a full reward.

9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, ¹³does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching ¹⁴has both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ¹⁵do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

11 for whoever greets him ¹⁶takes part in his wicked works.

Final Greetings

12 ¹⁷Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. ¹⁸Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, ¹⁹so that our joy may be complete.