^1 (A)From the Elder—

To my dear Gaius, whom I truly love.

² My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health—as I know you are well in spirit. ³ I was so happy when some Christians arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth—just as you always live in the truth. ⁴ Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.

Gaius Is Praised

⁵ My dear friend, you are so faithful in the work you do for other Christians, even when they are strangers. ⁶ They have spoken to the church here about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way that will please God. ⁷ For they set out on their trip in the service of Christ without accepting any help from unbelievers. ⁸ We Christians, then, must help these people, so that we may share in their work for the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

⁹ I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay any attention to what I say. ¹⁰ When I come, then, I will bring up everything he has done: the terrible things he says about us and the lies he tells! But that is not enough for him; he will not receive the Christians when they come, and even stops those who want to receive them and tries to drive them out of the church!

¹¹ My dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good belongs to God; whoever does what is bad has not seen God.

¹² Everyone speaks well of Demetrius; truth itself speaks well of him. And we add our testimony, and you know that what we say is true.

Final Greetings

¹³ I have so much to tell you, but I do not want to do it with pen and ink. ¹⁴ I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk personally.

¹⁵ Peace be with you.

All your friends send greetings. Greet all our friends personally.