/1-1- THE ELDER UNTO THE ELECT LADY AND HER CHILDREN
WHOM I LOVE IN THE TRUTH AND NOT I ONLY
BUT ALSO ALL THEY THAT HAVE KNOWN THE TRUTH
/1-2- FOR THE TRUTH'S SAKE
WHICH DWELLETH IN US
AND SHALL BE WITH US FOR EVER.
/1-3- GRACE BE WITH YOU
MERCY
AND PEACE
FROM GOD THE FATHER
AND FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
THE SON OF THE FATHER
IN TRUTH AND LOVE.
/1-4- I REJOICED GREATLY THAT I FOUND OF THY CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH
AS WE HAVE RECEIVED A COMMANDMENT FROM THE FATHER.
/1-5- AND NOW I BESEECH THEE
LADY
NOT AS THOUGH I WROTE A NEW COMMANDMENT UNTO THEE
BUT THAT WHICH WE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING
THAT WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
/1-6- AND THIS IS LOVE
THAT WE WALK AFTER HIS COMMANDMENTS. THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT
THAT
AS YE HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING
YE SHOULD WALK IN IT.
/1-7- FOR MANY DECEIVERS ARE ENTERED INTO THE WORLD
WHO CONFESS NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH. THIS IS A DECEIVER AND AN ANTICHRIST.
/1-8- LOOK TO YOURSELVES
THAT WE LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT
BUT THAT WE RECEIVE A FULL REWARD.
/1-9- WHOSOEVER TRANSGRESSETH
AND ABIDETH NOT IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
HATH NOT GOD. HE THAT ABIDETH IN THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST
HE HATH BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON.
/1-10- IF THERE COME ANY UNTO YOU
AND BRING NOT THIS DOCTRINE
RECEIVE HIM NOT INTO YOUR HOUSE
NEITHER BID HIM GOD SPEED-
/1-11- FOR HE THAT BIDDETH HIM GOD SPEED IS PARTAKER OF HIS EVIL DEEDS.
/1-12- HAVING MANY THINGS TO WRITE UNTO YOU
I WOULD NOT WRITE WITH PAPER AND INK- BUT I TRUST TO COME UNTO YOU
AND SPEAK FACE TO FACE
THAT OUR JOY MAY BE FULL.
/1-13- THE CHILDREN OF THY ELECT SISTER GREET THEE. AMEN.
