1 From the Elder—
To the dear Lady and to her children, whom I truly love. And I am not the only one, but all who know the truth love you, 2 because the truth remains in us and will be with us forever.
3 May God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, give us grace, mercy, and peace; may they be ours in truth and love.
Truth and Love
4 How happy I was to find that some of your children live in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And so I ask you, dear Lady: let us all love one another. This is no new command I am writing you; it is the command which we have had from the beginning. 6 This love I speak of means that we must live in obedience to God's commands. The command, as you have all heard from the beginning, is that you must all live in love.
7 Many deceivers have gone out over the world, people who do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ came as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and the Enemy of Christ. 8 Be on your guard, then, so that you will not lose what we have worked for, but will receive your reward in full.
9 Anyone who does not stay with the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God. Whoever does stay with the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 So then, if some come to you who do not bring this teaching, do not welcome them in your homes; do not even say, “Peace be with you.” 11 For anyone who wishes them peace becomes their partner in the evil things they do.
Final Words
12 I have so much to tell you, but I would rather not do it with paper and ink; instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you personally, so that we shall be completely happy.
13 The children of your dear Sister send you their greetings.
Matama e kutanga
1 Ndimi nkulu we gubungano.
Ku nfumakadzi wakashalugwa kose ne bana babe, bandinoda mu malebeswa, kusi imi koga na bose banoziba malebeswa, 2 nge zila ye malebeswa agele mutili kakale anowobe naswi nge kusingapele kose.
3 Ngoni ne mahwilozogwadza ne mbakiso zowobe naswi kudwa ku Ndzimu Tate nenge kuna Jesu Kirisiti Nkololo wa Tate, mu malebeswa ne ludo.
Malebeswa ne ludo
4 Ndakashatha kwazo kuwana bamwe be bana babo belondolodza malebeswa koga sekwa takadwiwa ndi Tate. 5 Ngono ngwenu ndokukumbila, iwe nfumakadzi, ndisingange ndinokukwalila nlayo ntshwa. Ndokukwalila ngekwe nlayo watakahwa mu kutangisa, unoti tidane. 6 Ludo ndi wogu, kuti titobele milayo yabo; nlayo ndiwoyu, sekwa makahwa mu kutangisa, makafanila tjilila mu ludo.
7 Batjebeli batjibe banjinji mu shango, ibabo basingadume kuti Jesu Kirisiti wakazha ali nthu. Nthu mmwe ne mmwe wakajalo ntjebeli kakale tjita tja Kirisiti. 8 Muzwitjengete kuti musilashikigwe nge tjamakashingila, koga muzwiwanile mbhayilo.
9 Iye unodwilila asingatobele zwidiyo zwa Kirisiti aana Ndzimu. Iye unodwilila nge kutobela zwidiyo una Tate ne Nkololo. 10 Ha kuli kuti kuna ungazha kumuli asingazhise zwidiyo izwezwi, musitongo n'amutjila mu ng'umba dzenyu nenguba kuli kun'dumilisa; 11 ngobe kudumilisa nthu wakajalo kobe kuli kushanganyila naye bubi gwe mishingo iye.
Matama e bupelo
12 Nenguba ndina zwithu zwinjinji zwandakafanila kumukwalila nge kwazo, anditowoshingisa pampiri ne inki, koga ndogalabgwe kuti ndowozha kuwomubona kuti ndilebeleke namwi takalingisana, kuti ndizo kushatha kwedu kupelele.
13 Bana be hazwadzi iyo yakashalugwa banomudumilisa.