1
The Elder to the elect lady and her children. Truly I love you all, and not I alone, but also all who know the truth,
2
for the sake of the truth which is continually in our hearts and will be with us for ever.
3
Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4
It is an intense joy to me to have found some of your children living true Christian lives, in obedience to the command which we have received from the Father.
5
And now, dear lady, I pray you--writing to you, as I do, not a new command, but the one which we have had from the very beginning--let us love one another.
6
The love of which I am speaking consists in our living in obedience to God's commands. God's command is that you should live in obedience to what you all heard from the very beginning.