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Advice for Elders and Young Men

And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:

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To the Elders and the Flock

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder(A) and a witness(B) of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed:(C)

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For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:4 Some manuscripts read our.

For you died,(A) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your[a] life,(B) appears,(C) then you also will appear with him in glory.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Colossians 3:4 Some manuscripts our

17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

The Future Glory

18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

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17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs(A)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings(B) in order that we may also share in his glory.(C)

Present Suffering and Future Glory

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.(D)

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48 You are witnesses of all these things.

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48 You are witnesses(A) of these things.

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Vision of the Son of Man

I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus.

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John’s Vision of Christ

I, John,(A) your brother and companion in the suffering(B) and kingdom(C) and patient endurance(D) that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God(E) and the testimony of Jesus.(F)

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Greetings

This letter is from John, the elder.[a]

I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children,[b] whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

Live in the Truth

How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded.

I am writing to remind you, dear friends,[c] that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came[d] in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we[e] have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. 11 Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

Conclusion

12 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to do it with paper and ink. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.

13 Greetings from the children of your sister,[f] chosen by God.

Greetings

This letter is from John, the elder.[g]

I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.

Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. Some of the traveling teachers[h] recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. For they are traveling for the Lord,[i] and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.[j] So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.[k]

12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.

Conclusion

13 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. 14 For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.

15 [l]Peace be with you.

Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.

Footnotes

  1. 1a Greek From the elder.
  2. 1b Or the church God has chosen and its members.
  3. 5 Greek I urge you, lady.
  4. 7 Or will come.
  5. 8 Some manuscripts read you.
  6. 13 Or from the members of your sister church.
  7. 1 Greek From the elder.
  8. 3 Greek the brothers; also in verses 5 and 10.
  9. 7a Greek They went out on behalf of the Name.
  10. 7b Greek from Gentiles.
  11. 11 Greek they have not seen God.
  12. 15 Some English translations combine verses 14 and 15 into verse 14.

The elder,(A)

To the lady chosen by God(B) and to her children, whom I love in the truth(C)—and not I only, but also all who know the truth(D) because of the truth,(E) which lives in us(F) and will be with us forever:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,(G) the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth,(H) just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.(I) I ask that we love one another. And this is love:(J) that we walk in obedience to his commands.(K) As you have heard from the beginning,(L) his command is that you walk in love.

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ(M) as coming in the flesh,(N) have gone out into the world.(O) Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.(P) Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.(Q) Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ(R) does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.(S) 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them.(T) 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares(U) in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face,(V) so that our joy may be complete.(W)

13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God,(X) send their greetings.

The elder,(Y)

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(Z) came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.(AA) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children(AB) are walking in the truth.(AC)

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[b](AD) even though they are strangers to you.(AE) They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way(AF) in a manner that honors(AG) God. It was for the sake of the Name(AH) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.(AI) 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,(AJ) 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.(AK) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.(AL)

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

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.(AR)

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

Footnotes

  1. 2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you
  2. 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.

And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

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And when the Chief Shepherd(A) appears, you will receive the crown of glory(B) that will never fade away.(C)

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24 You guide me with your counsel,
    leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    I desire you more than anything on earth.

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24 You guide(A) me with your counsel,(B)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?(C)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.(D)

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Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.

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Dear friends,(A) now we are children of God,(B) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a](C) we shall be like him,(D) for we shall see him as he is.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

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These have come so that the proven genuineness(A) of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire(B)—may result in praise, glory and honor(C) when Jesus Christ is revealed.(D)

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The Letter for Gentile Believers

22 Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders[a]—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. 23 This is the letter they took with them:

“This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!

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Footnotes

  1. 15:22 Greek were leaders among the brothers.

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22 Then the apostles and elders,(A) with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch(B) with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas,(C) men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers,

To the Gentile believers in Antioch,(D) Syria(E) and Cilicia:(F)

Greetings.(G)

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23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

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23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a](A) for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting,(B) committed them to the Lord,(C) in whom they had put their trust.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 14:23 Or Barnabas ordained elders; or Barnabas had elders elected

30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.

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30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders(A) by Barnabas(B) and Saul.(C)

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