¹Mimi Mzee nakuandikia wewe Bimkubwa mteule, pamoja na watoto wako ninaowapenda kweli. Wala si mimi tu ninayewapenda, bali pia wote wanaoujua ule ukweli wanawapenda ninyi,

¹The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all those who know the truth;

²kwa sababu ukweli unakaa nasi milele.

²for the truth’s sake, which remains in us, and it will be with us forever:

³Neema na huruma na amani zitokazo kwa Mungu Baba na kwa Yesu Kristo, Mwana wa Baba, zitakuwa pamoja nasi katika ukweli na upendo.

³Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

⁴Nilifurahi sana kuona kwamba baadhi ya watoto wako wanaishi katika ukweli kama Baba alivyotuamuru.

⁴I rejoice greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, even as we have been commanded by the Father.

⁵Basi, Bimkubwa, ninalo ombi moja kwako: tupendane. Ombi hili si amri mpya, bali ni amri ileile tuliyokuwa nayo tangu mwanzo.

⁵Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

⁶Upendo maana yake ni kuishi kwa kuzitii amri zake Mungu. Amri niliyoisikia tangu mwanzo ndiyo hii: mnapaswa nyote kuishi katika upendo.

⁶This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

⁷Wadanganyifu wengi wamezuka duniani, watu ambao hawakiri kwamba Yesu Kristo amekuja kwetu akawa binadamu. Mtu asemaye hivyo ni mdanganyifu na ni Adui wa Kristo.

⁷For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist.

⁸Basi, jihadharini ninyi wenyewe ili msije mkapoteza kile mlichokishugulikia, bali mpate tuzo lenu kamili.

⁸Watch yourselves, that we don’t lose the things which we have accomplished, but that we receive a full reward.

⁹Asiyezingatia na kudumu katika mafundisho ya Kristo, bali anayakiuka, hana Mungu. Lakini anayedumu katika mafundisho hayo anaye Baba na Mwana.

⁹Whoever transgresses and doesn’t remain in the teaching of Christ, doesn’t have God. He who remains in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son.

¹⁰Basi, kama mtu akija kwenu bila kuwaleteeni mafundisho hayo, msimkaribishe nyumbani kwenu, wala msimsalimu.

¹⁰If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him,

¹¹Maana anayemsalimu mtu huyo, anashirikiana naye katika matendo yake maovu.

¹¹for he who welcomes him participates in his evil works.

¹²Ninayo mengi ya kuwaambieni lakini sipendi kufanya hivyo kwa karatasi na wino; badala yake, natumaini kuwatembeleeni na kuzungumza nanyi ana kwa ana, ili furaha yetu ikamilike.

¹²Having many things to write to you, I don’t want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come to you, and to speak face to face, that our joy may be made full.

¹³Watoto wa dada yako mteule wanakusalimu.

¹³The children of your chosen sister greet you. Amen.