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1Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from JesusChrist, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
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2I was veryglad to find some of your childrenwalking in truth, just as we have receivedcommandment to do from the Father.
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Now I ask you, lady, 3not as though I were writing to you a newcommandment, but the one which we have had4from the beginning, that we 5loveoneanother.
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And 6this is love, that we walkaccording to His commandments. This is the commandment, 7just as you have heard8from the beginning, that you should walk in it.
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For 9manydeceivers have 10gone out into the world, those who 11do not acknowledgeJesusChrist as coming in the flesh. This is 12the deceiver and the 13antichrist.
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14Watchyourselves, 15that you do not losewhat we have accomplished, but that you may receive a fullreward.
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[a]Anyone who [b]goestoofar and 16does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not haveGod; the one who abides in the teaching, he hasboth the Father and the Son.
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Ifanyonecomes to you and does not bringthisteaching, 17do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
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for the one who gives him a greeting18participates in his evildeeds.
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19Though I havemanythings to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speakface to face, so that [c]your 20joy may be madefull.