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.
1 Ontumwafo ndjika ya zi kOmukuluntu, oya nyolelwa omukulukadhi omuhogololwa noyana, mboka ndi ya hole unene. Nokuli hangame awike ndi mu hole, ihe ayehe mboka ya tseya oshili, oye mu hole. 2 Omolwoshili ndjoka ya kala mutse notayi ka kala pamwe natse sigo aluhe.
3 Kalunga Tate naJesus Kristus, Omuna gwaTate, naye tu pe esilohenda, olukeno nombili. Nayi kale natse moshili nomohole.
Oshili nohole
4 Ngame onda nyanyukwa mokumona kutya aakwanegongalo yamwe ohaa kala moshili, ngashika naanaa Tate e tu lombwele. 5 Onkee ano, egongalo alihe, otandi mu indile kutya tu kaleni tu holathane. Oshipango shika tandi shi mu nyolele, kashi shi oshipe, aawe, osho tuu shoka twa kala nasho okuza ketameko. 6 Ohole ndjoka tandi popi, otayi ti kutya tse otu na okukala tatu vulika kiipango yaKalunga. Oshipango osho shika ngaashi mwe shi uvu okuza ketameko: Amuhe kaleni mohole.
7 Aapukithi oyendji oya ya nuuyuni. Aantu ya tya ngaaka itaa hempulula nande kutya Jesus Kristus okwa ningi omuntu. Aantu mboka oyo aahongololi naakondjithi yaKristus! 8 Ikotokeleni ano, opo mwaa kanithe shoka mu na oku shi pewa, ihe mu mone ondjambi yeni ya gwana.
9 Shaa ngoka itaa kala melongo lyaKristus, ihe ota gwaya mo, oye ke na Kalunga. Ihe ngoka ta kala melongo ndika, oye oku na ayehe yaali: He nOmwana. 10 Ngele ku na ngoka te ya kune, ihe ite ya nelongo ndika, inamu mu taamba megumbo lyeni, ne inamu mu popitha nando okuli mu tye: “Ombili nayi kale nangoye.” 11 Oshoka shaa ngoka ta popitha omuntu a tya ngaaka, oye ota kwatathana niilonga iiwinayi mbyoka te yi longo.
Oohapu dhelaleko
12 Ngame ondi na oshindji oku mu lombwela, ihe inandi hala oku shi ninga nokunyola, ndele ondi na edhiladhilo oku mu talela po ngame mwene, opo tu popyeni kokana nokana, enyanyu lyetu opo li kale lya gwanenena pombanda.
13 Aakwanegongalo ooyakweni aaholike otaye mu kundile po.
