问安

[a]这做长老的,

致蒙爱的盖尤斯,就是我在真理中所爱的:

蒙爱的人哪,我愿你凡事安顺,身体健康,正如你的灵魂[b]安顺。 有些弟兄来到这里,见证了你对真理的忠信[c],就是你怎样在真理中行事[d],这使我极其欢喜。 听到我的儿女在真理中行事[e],我的喜乐没有比这更大的了。

接待神的工人

蒙爱的人哪,你为弟兄们,尤其是为异乡的弟兄们所做的,都是忠心的。 他们在教会面前见证了你的爱。你如果以神喜悦的方式送他们上路,就做得很好了, 因为他们为了基督的名[f]出去,并没有从外邦人接受什么。 所以,我们应该帮助这样的人,好让我们为真理成为同工[g]

迪奥特菲与迪米特斯

我写了信给教会,但是他们中那喜欢为首的迪奥特菲不接纳我们。 10 所以,如果我来了,我一定要提起他所做的事,就是他用坏话污蔑我们;而且他在这些事上还不满足,不但自己不接纳弟兄们,也阻止那些愿意接纳的人,甚至把他们赶出教会。

11 蒙爱的人哪,不要效法恶,而要效法善。那行善的属于神;那作恶的未曾看见神。 12 迪米特斯受到了大家的赞许,也得了真理本身的赞许;我们也为他做见证,而且你知道我们的见证是真实的。

信末的问候

13 我有很多话要写给你,但不愿意用笔墨写给你。 14 我希望立刻见到你,并且面对面交谈。

15 愿你平安!朋友们都问候你。请你一一提名问候各位朋友。

Footnotes

  1. 约翰三书 1:1 我——辅助词语。
  2. 约翰三书 1:2 灵魂——或译作“生命”。
  3. 约翰三书 1:3 忠信——辅助词语。
  4. 约翰三书 1:3 行事——原文直译“行走”。
  5. 约翰三书 1:4 行事——原文直译“行走”。
  6. 约翰三书 1:7 基督的名——原文直译“那名”。
  7. 约翰三书 1:8 为真理成为同工——或译作“成为真理的同工”。

Walking in the Truth

(A)The elder to the beloved (B)Gaius, whom I (C)love in truth.

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I (D)rejoiced greatly when (E)brothers came and bore witness to your truth, that is, how you (F)are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than [a]this, to hear that (G)my children are (H)walking in the truth.

Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever [b]work you do for the (I)brothers, and are doing this though they are (J)strangers; and they bore witness to your love before the church. You will do well to (K)send them on their way in a manner (L)worthy of God. For they went out for the sake of (M)the Name, (N)receiving nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to [c]support such men, so that we may [d]be fellow workers [e]with the truth.

I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to (O)be first among them, does not welcome [f]what we say. 10 For this reason, (P)if I come, I will bring to remembrance his deeds which he does, unjustly disparaging us with wicked words. And not satisfied with this, he himself does not (Q)welcome the (R)brothers either, and he forbids those who want to do so and (S)puts them out of the church.

11 Beloved, (T)do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. (U)The one who does good is of God; (V)the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius (W)has received a good witness from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our witness, and (X)you know that our witness is true.

13 (Y)I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.

15 (Z)Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends (AA)by name.

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:4 Lit these things, that I hear
  2. 3 John 1:5 Lit work
  3. 3 John 1:8 Or receive such men as guests
  4. 3 John 1:8 Or prove ourselves to be
  5. 3 John 1:8 Or for
  6. 3 John 1:9 Lit us

Salutation. The Presbyter[a] to my beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I pray that everything is going well with you and that your bodily health is equal to that of your soul.[b]

Commendation of Gaius. I rejoiced greatly when some of the brethren[c] arrived and related how faithful you are to the truth, and that you continue to walk in the truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

[d]Beloved, you have been faithful in everything you do for the brethren, especially to strangers. They have testified before the Church to your love. Please continue to help them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they began their journey for the sake of the Name,[e] and they have refused to accept any support from nonbelievers. Therefore, we ought to show hospitality to such people so that we may be collaborators in the truth.

Condemnation and Diotrephes. I have previously written something to the Church, but Diotrephes,[f] who enjoys being in a position of leadership, refuses to acknowledge our authority. 10 Therefore, if I come, I shall draw attention to what he is doing. He has circulated false charges against us. And not content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brethren but interferes with those who want to do so and expels them from the Church.

11 Exhortation to Gaius. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil; rather, imitate what is good. Whoever does what is good is from God. Whoever does what is evil has never seen God.[g]

12 Example of Demetrius. Everyone has spoken favorably about Demetrius,[h] and so has the Truth itself. We also will vouch for him, and you are well aware that our testimony is true.

13 Conclusion.[i]I have much to write to you, but I do not think it prudent to do so with pen and ink. 14 Instead, I hope to visit you in the very near future, when we can talk together face to face.

15 Peace be with you. The friends[j] send you their greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:1 Presbyter: see note on 2 Jn 1. Gaius: a loyal member of one of the churches in the province of Asia, who bears a common Roman name—one mentioned in four other places in the New Testament (Acts 19:29; 20:4; Rom 16:23; 1 Cor 1:14).
  2. 3 John 1:2 John wishes Gaius well both spiritually and physically, for he knows that grace and health are two of the greatest gifts of God.
  3. 3 John 1:3 Brethren: most likely itinerant missionaries to whom Gaius showed Christian hospitality. Walk in the truth: i.e., practice true Christian living.
  4. 3 John 1:5 Apparently, the early Church provided hospitality and support for missionaries because they had given up their means of livelihood in order to preach the faith to others and deserved some kind of compensation (see 1 Cor 9:3-12).
  5. 3 John 1:7 Name: of Jesus Christ (see note on Acts 5:41), which expresses the mystery of his divinity (see Phil 2:9; Jas 2:7; 1 Jn 2:12; 3:23; 5:13).
  6. 3 John 1:9 Diotrephes: a leader of the local church who overstepped his boundaries. He not only failed to give allegiance to the Presbyter but also refused to offer hospitality and support to the missionaries who came to his church.
  7. 3 John 1:11 John exhorts Gaius to keep on doing good and not be swayed by the un-Christian behavior of Diotrephes.
  8. 3 John 1:12 Demetrius: possibly the bearer of the Letter. He may have been an important member of the community or one of the missionaries. Spoken favorably . . . and so has the Truth itself: most likely, John is referring to the Truth of the Gospel in Demetrius’ life. Like Gaius, Demetrius is “walking in the truth.” He lives the life of love.
  9. 3 John 1:13 See 2 Jn 12-13 for a similar conclusion.
  10. 3 John 1:15 Friends: probably those who oppose Diotrephes and are loyal to the Presbyter.

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.

The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.