A Greeting from the Elder (3 John 1:1–4)
1 UST { I am John,} the elder.{ I am writing this letter} to you, the congregation{ of people} that God has chosen{ to belong to him}. I sincerely love all of you believers. Not only do I myself love you, but all those who know and accept the true message{ that Jesus taught} also love you. BSB BSB: The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I alone, but also all who know the truth—
2 UST { We love you} because we have all accepted God’ s true message. This true message has become a part of us and will be with us forever. BSB BSB: because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 UST God the Father and Jesus the Messiah, the Father’ s Son, will{ continue to} act kindly and mercifully toward us and will make us peaceful.{ They will do this because} they are truthful and they love{ us}. BSB BSB: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, will be with us in truth and love.
Walking in the Truth (John 8:30–47)
4 UST I have learned that some of the believers from your congregation are living according to the true message{ that God has taught us}. That made me very happy. This is just what our Father commanded us to do. BSB BSB: I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us.
5 UST And now, dear congregation, I ask you{ to do what God commanded:} that we should love each other. I am not writing this to you as a new thing that God has commanded{ us to do}. Instead, we have known this command to love each other from when we first believed in the Messiah. BSB BSB: And now I urge you, dear lady—not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.
6 UST This is what it means to love{ God and each other}. We should obey what God commands us to do. This is what God commands you,{ to love each other,} so you need to do it. You have heard this from when you first believed in the Messiah. BSB BSB: And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
Beware of Deceivers 7 UST I say this because there are many people in this world who travel around, deceiving people. These deceptive people refuse to say that Jesus the Messiah was a man with a human body. This{ teaching} comes from the{ original} deceiver, the one who opposes the Messiah. BSB BSB: For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
8 UST Be careful so that you do not{ let those teachers deceive you! If you let them deceive you, you will} lose everything that we have worked for. So be careful to make sure that you receive the complete benefit! BSB BSB: Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded.
9 UST Those who do not continue to believe and teach the things that the Messiah taught, but instead believe and teach other things, do not belong to God. But those who continue to believe and teach what the Messiah taught do belong to both{ God,} our Father, and to{ Jesus,} his Son. BSB BSB: Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.
10 UST So when any teacher comes to you who does not teach that the Messiah came as a man with a real body, do not welcome him into your homes! Do not even greet him{ or wish him well in any way, so that you do not encourage him}. BSB BSB: If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
11 UST If you greet these people respectfully, you are helping them to do the evil things that they do. BSB BSB: Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds.
Conclusion (3 John 1:13–14)
12 UST I have much more that I want to say to you. But I have decided not to write them to you in a letter. Instead, I hope to be with you soon and to talk with you personally. Then we will be completely joyful together. BSB BSB: I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come and speak with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.
13 UST Your fellow believers in the congregation here, whom God has also chosen, greet you. BSB BSB: The children of your elect sister send you greetings.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.