Τεκνία μου, ταῦτα γράφω ὑμῖν, “My little children, I am writing these things to you.” This first use of the vocative τεκνία to address his readers reflects his deep affection for them as well as his spiritual relationship to them (Yarbrough, 71).262 This may also be reflected in his change from the plural “we” to the singular “I write” (Painter, 145).263 This term is used ten times in the New Testament, once by Jesus (John 13:33), eight times by John (1 John 2:1, 12, 14, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:12),