Greeting

The Elder:(A)

To my dear friend[a] Gaius: I love you in the truth.(B)

Dear friend,[b] I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically(C) just as you are spiritually.[c] For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified(D) to your faithfulness to the truth—how you are walking in the truth.(E) I have no greater joy(F) than this: to hear that my children(G) are walking in the truth.

Gaius Commended

Dear friend,[d] you are showing faithfulness[e] by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. They have testified to your love in front of the church.(H) You will do well to send them on their journey(I) in a manner worthy of God,(J) since they set out for the sake of the Name,(K) accepting nothing from pagans.(L) Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with[f] the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them,(M) does not receive us.(N) 10 This is why, if I come, I will remind him of the works he is doing, slandering(O) us with malicious words. And he is not satisfied with that! He not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church.

11 Dear friend,[g] do not imitate what is evil,(P) but what is good. The one who does good is of God;(Q) the one who does evil has not seen God.(R) 12 Demetrius has a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. And we also testify for him, and you know(S) that our testimony is true.(T)

Farewell

13 I have many things to write you, but I don’t want to write to you with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.[h]

Peace be with you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name.

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:1 Or my beloved
  2. 3 John 1:2 Or Beloved
  3. 3 John 1:2 Lit as your soul prospers
  4. 3 John 1:5 Or Beloved
  5. 3 John 1:5 Lit are doing a faithful thing
  6. 3 John 1:8 Or coworkers for
  7. 3 John 1:11 Or Beloved
  8. 3 John 1:14 Lit mouth to mouth

The elder,(A)

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers(B) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.(C) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children(D) are walking in the truth.(E)

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a](F) even though they are strangers to you.(G) They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way(H) in a manner that honors(I) God. It was for the sake of the Name(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.(K) We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come,(L) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers.(M) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(N)

11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.(O) Anyone who does what is good is from God.(P) Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.(Q) 12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone(R)—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.(S)

13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.(T)

15 Peace to you.(U) The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:5 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.