| 第1段 | |
| 中文： | 作长老的写信给蒙拣选的太太，（太太作教会下同），和他的儿女，就是我诚心所爱的。不但我爱，也是一切知道真理之人所爱的。 |
| 英文： | The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; |
| 第2段 | |
| 中文： | 爱你们是为真理的缘故，这真理存在我们里面，也必永远与我们同在。 |
| 英文： | For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. |
| 第3段 | |
| 中文： | 恩惠，怜悯，平安，从父神和他儿子耶稣基督，在真理和爱心上，必常与我们同在。 |
| 英文： | Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. |
| 第4段 | |
| 中文： | 我见你的儿女，有照我们从父所受之命令遵行真理的，就甚欢喜。 |
| 英文： | I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. |
| 第5段 | |
| 中文： | 太太阿，我现在劝你，我们大家要彼此相爱。这并不是我写一条新命令给你，乃是我们从起初所受的命令。 |
| 英文： | And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. |
| 第6段 | |
| 中文： | 我们若照他的命令行，这就是爱。你们从起初所听见当行的，就是这命令。 |
| 英文： | And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. |
| 第7段 | |
| 中文： | 因为世上有许多迷惑人的出来，他们不认耶稣基督是成了肉身来的。这就是那迷惑人的，敌基督的。 |
| 英文： | For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. |
| 第8段 | |
| 中文： | 你们要小心，不要失去你们（有古卷作我们）所作的工，乃要得着满足的赏赐。 |
| 英文： | Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. |
| 第9段 | |
| 中文： | 凡越过基督教训，不常守着的，就没有神。常守这教训的，就有父又有子。 |
| 英文： | Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. |
| 第10段 | |
| 中文： | 若有人到你们那里，不是传这教训，不要接他到家里，也不要问他的安。 |
| 英文： | If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: |
| 第11段 | |
| 中文： | 因为问他安的，就在他的恶行上有分。 |
| 英文： | For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. |
| 第12段 | |
| 中文： | 我还有许多事要写给你们，却不愿意用纸墨写出来。但盼望到你们那里，与你们当面谈论，使你们的喜乐满足。 |
| 英文： | Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. |
| 第13段 | |
| 中文： | 你那蒙拣选之姐妹的儿女都问你安。 |
| 英文： | The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. |