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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

Greeting

The elder:(A)

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

Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health,(C) just as your whole life is going well.[a] For I was very glad when fellow believers came and testified(D) to your fidelity to the truth—how you are walking in truth.(E) I have no greater joy(F) than this: to hear that my children(G) are walking in truth.

Gaius Commended

Dear friend, you are acting faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, especially when they are strangers. They have testified to your love before 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.[b](L) Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can be coworkers with 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 our authority.(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 fellow believers, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church.

11 Dear friend, 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 Everyone speaks well of Demetrius—even the truth itself. And we also speak well of 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.

15 Peace to you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Or as your soul prospers
  2. 7 Or Gentiles