The Message Bible MSG
New Living Translation NLT
1 My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I'm not alone - everyone who knows the Truth
1
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—
2 that has taken up permanent residence in us loves you.
2
because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.
3 Let grace, mercy, and peace be with us in truth and love from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, Son of the Father!
3
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.
4 I can't tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father.
4
How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.
5 But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other.
5
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.
6 Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.
6
Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.
7 There are a lot of smooth-talking charlatans loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist!
7
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.
8 And be very careful around them so you don't lose out on what we've worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you.
8
Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.
9 Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son.
9
Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone shows up who doesn't hold to this teaching, don't invite him in and give him the run of the place.
10
If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.
11 That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.
11
Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.
12 I have a lot more things to tell you, but I'd rather not use paper and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. That will be far more satisfying to both you and me.
12
I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.
13 Everyone here in your sister congregation sends greetings.
13
Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.