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This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth—
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because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.
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Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.
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How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.
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I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning.
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Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.
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I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.
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Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.