Chapter 1
1 The elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth—and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth—
πρεσβύτεροςpresbuteroselderG4245GN-NSM ἐκλεκτῇeklektēaTo [the] electG1588A-DSF τέκνοιςteknoischildrenG5043N-DPN αὐτῆςautēsof herG0846P-GSF ἀγαπῶagapōloveG0025V-PAI-1S ἀληθείᾳ,alētheiatruth,G0225N-DSF μόνος,monosonly,G3441A-NSM πάντεςpantesallG3956A-NPM ἐγνωκότεςegnōkotesalready knowingG1097V-RAP-NPM ἀλήθειαν,alētheiantruth —G0225N-ASF 2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us ⌞forever⌟1.
διὰdiabecause ofG1223PREP ἀλήθειανalētheiantruthG0225N-ASF μένουσανmenousanis abidingG3306V-PAP-ASF ἔσταιestaithat will beG1510V-FDI-3S - Or “in perpetuity”; literally “for the age”
3 Grace, mercy, peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love.
ἔσταιestaiWill beG1510V-FDI-3S χάριςcharisgraceG5485N-NSF ἔλεοςeleosmercyG1656N-NSN εἰρήνηeirēnē[and] peaceG1515N-NSF πατρὸςpatros[the] FatherG3962N-GSM-T ΧριστοῦChristouChristG5547N-GSM-T πατρὸςpatrosFatherG3962N-GSM-T ἀληθείᾳalētheiatruthG0225N-DSF ἀγάπῃ.¶agapēlove.G0026N-DSF 4 ⌞I was very glad⌟1 because I found some of your children walking in the truth, just as ⌞the Father commanded us⌟2.
ἘχάρηνEcharēnI rejoicedG5463V-2AOI-1S λίανlianexceedinglyG3029ADV εὕρηκαheurēkaI have foundG2147V-RAI-1S τέκνωνteknōnchildrenG5043N-GPN περιπατοῦνταςperipatountaswalkingG4043V-PAP-APM ἀληθείᾳalētheiatruthG0225N-DSF καθὼςkathōseven asG2531CONJ ἐντολὴνentolēncommandmentG1785N-ASF ἐλάβομενelabomenwe receivedG2983V-2AAI-1P πατρός.patrosFather.G3962N-GSM-T - Literally “I rejoiced exceedingly”
- Literally “we received commandment from the Father”
Watch Out for False Teachers
5 And now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but one that we have had from the beginning), that we should love one another.
ἐρωτῶerōtōI imploreG2065V-PAI-1S κυρία,kurialady,G2959N-VSF ἐντολὴνentolēna commandmentG1785N-ASF καινὴνkainēnnewG2537A-ASF γράφωνgraphōnI am writingG1125V-PAP-NSM ἣνhēnthat whichG3739R-ASF εἴχομενeichomenwe have hadG2192V-IAI-1P ἀρχῆς,archēs[the] beginning,G0746N-GSF ἀγαπῶμενagapōmenwe may loveG0025V-PAS-1P ἀλλήλους.allēlousone another.G0240C-APM 6 And this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
ἐστὶνestinisG1510V-PAI-3S περιπατῶμενperipatōmenwe may walkG4043V-PAS-1P κατὰkataaccording toG2596PREP ἐντολὰςentolascommandmentsG1785N-APF αὐτοῦ.autouof Him.G0846P-GSM ἐντολήentolēcommandmentG1785N-NSF ἐστινestinisG1510V-PAI-3S καθὼςkathōseven asG2531CONJ ἠκούσατεēkousateyou have heardG0191V-AAI-2P ἀρχῆς,archēs[the] beginning,G0746N-GSF περιπατῆτε·peripatēteyou may walk;G4043V-PAS-2P 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ1 coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist!
πολλοὶpolloimanyG4183A-NPM πλάνοιplanoideceiversG4108A-NPM ἐξῆλθονexēlthonhave gone outG1831V-2AAI-3P κόσμον,kosmonworld,G2889N-ASM ὁμολογοῦντεςhomologountesconfessingG3670V-PAP-NPM ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424GN-ASM-P ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547N-ASM-T ἐρχόμενονerchomenoncomingG2064V-PNP-ASM σαρκί·sarkiflesh;G4561N-DSF οὗτόςhoutosThisG3778D-NSM ἐστινestinisG1510V-PAI-3S πλάνοςplanosdeceiverG4108A-NSM ἀντίχριστος.antichristosantichrist.G0500N-NSM - Or “confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh” (see 1 John 4:2)
8 Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.
βλέπετεblepetedo watchG0991V-PAM-2P ἑαυτοὺςhe'autousyourselvesG1438F-2APM ἀπολέσητεapolesēteyou may loseG0622V-AAS-2P εἰργασάμεθα,eirgasamethawe have worked for,G2038V-ADI-1P μισθὸνmisthona rewardG3408N-ASM ἀπολάβητε.apolabēteyou may receive.G0618V-2AAS-2P 9 Everyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in the teaching—this person has both the Father and the Son.
προάγωνproagōnis progressingG4254V-PAP-NSM μένωνmenōnabidingG3306V-PAP-NSM διδαχῇdidachēateachingG1322N-DSF ΧριστοῦChristouof ChristG5547N-GSM-T ἔχει·echeihas;G2192V-PAI-3S μένωνmenōnabidingG3306V-PAP-NSM διδαχῇdidachēateachingG1322N-DSF Χριστοῦ,ChristouChristG5547N-GSM-T οὗτοςhoutosthis [one]G3778D-NSM πατέραpateraFatherG3962N-ASM-T ἔχει.echeihas.G2192V-PAI-3S 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not speak a greeting to him,
ἔρχεταιerchetaicomesG2064V-PNI-3S ταύτηνtautēnthisG3778D-ASF διδαχὴνdidachēnteachingG1322N-ASF φέρει,phereidoes bring,G5342V-PAI-3S λαμβάνετεlambanetedo receiveG2983V-PAM-2P οἰκίαν,oikian[the] house,G3614GN-ASF χαίρεινchaireinto greetG5463V-PAN λέγετε·legetedo tell;G3004GV-PAM-2P 11 because the one who speaks a greeting to him shares in his evil deeds.
λέγωνlegōntellingG3004GV-PAP-NSM χαίρειν,chaireinto rejoiceG5463V-PAN κοινωνεῖkoinōneipartakesG2841V-PAI-3S ἔργοιςergoisworksG2041N-DPN αὐτοῦautouof himG0846P-GSM πονηροῖς.¶ponēroisevil.G4190A-DPN Conclusion and Final Greeting
12 Although1 I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so by means of paper and ink, but I hope to be with you and to speak ⌞face to face⌟2, so that your3 joy may be complete.
ΠολλὰPollaMany thingsG4183A-APN ἔχωνechōnhavingG2192V-PAP-NSM ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771P-2DP γράφεινgrapheinto writeG1125V-PAN ἐβουλήθηνeboulēthēnI purposedG1014V-AOI-1S χάρτουchartoupaperG5489N-GSM μέλανος·melanosink;G3188N-GSN ἐλπίζωelpizōI hopeG1679V-PAI-1S γενέσθαιgenesthaito comeG1096V-2ADN στόμαstomamouthG4750N-ASN στόμαstomamouthG4750N-ASN λαλῆσαιlalēsaito speakG2980V-AAN πεπληρωμένηpeplērōmenēcompletedG4137V-RPP-NSF - *Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as concessive
- Literally “mouth to mouth”
- Some manuscripts have “our”
13 The children of your elect sister greet you.
ἀσπάζεταίaspazetaiGreetG0782V-PNI-3S τέκναteknachildrenG5043N-NPN ἀδελφῆςadelphēssisterG0079N-GSF ἐκλεκτῆςeklektēselectG1588A-GSF ἀμήν.¶amēnAmen.G0281INJ-HEB