Concern for Their Faith

3 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, ² and sent ^(A)Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, ^3 (B)that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that ^(C)we are appointed to this. ^4 (D)For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. ⁵ For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, ^(E)lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and ^(F)our labor might be in vain.

Walk in Christ’s Commandments

⁴ I ^(A)rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. ⁵ And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: ^(B)that we love one another. ^6 (C)This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that ^(D)as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Beware of Antichrist Deceivers

⁷ For ^(E)many deceivers have gone out into the world ^(F)who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. ^(G)This is a deceiver and an antichrist. ^8 (H)Look to yourselves, ^(I)that ^[a]we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

^9 (J)Whoever ^[b]transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and ^(K)does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; ¹¹ for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.