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3 John
New International Version
3 John
New International Version
1 The elder,(A)
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
2 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. 3 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) 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children(D) are walking in the truth.(E)
5 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) 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way(H) in a manner that honors(I) God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name(J) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.(K) 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
9 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
- 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.
3 John
The Message
3 John
The Message
1-4 The Pastor, to my good friend Gaius: How truly I love you! We’re the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health—that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul! I was most happy when some friends arrived and brought the news that you persist in following the way of Truth. Nothing could make me happier than getting reports that my children continue diligently in the way of Truth!
Model the Good
5-8 Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. They’ve made a full report back to the church here, a message about your love. It’s good work you’re doing, helping these travelers on their way, hospitality worthy of God himself! They set out under the banner of the Name, and get no help from unbelievers. So they deserve any support we can give them. In providing meals and a bed, we become their companions in spreading the Truth.
9-10 Earlier I wrote something along this line to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves being in charge, denigrates my counsel. If I come, you can be sure I’ll hold him to account for spreading vicious rumors about us.
As if that weren’t bad enough, he not only refuses hospitality to traveling Christians but tries to stop others from welcoming them. Worse yet, instead of inviting them in he throws them out.
11 Friend, don’t go along with evil. Model the good. The person who does good does God’s work. The person who does evil falsifies God, doesn’t know the first thing about God.
12 Everyone has a good word for Demetrius—the Truth itself stands up for Demetrius! We concur, and you know we don’t hand out endorsements lightly.
13-14 I have a lot more things to tell you, but I’d rather not use pen and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk.
Peace to you. The friends here say hello. Greet our friends there by name.
3 John
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
3 John
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
Gaius Commended for His Hospitality
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. 3 For I was overjoyed when some brothers and sisters arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, how you walk in the truth.(A) 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.(B)
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you;(C) 6 they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God,(D) 7 for they began their journey for the sake of Christ,[a] accepting no support from nonbelievers.[b](E) 8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become coworkers with the truth.
Diotrephes and Demetrius
9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not welcome us. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with those charges, he refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters and even prevents those who want to do so and expels them from the church.(F)
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.(G) 12 Everyone has testified favorably about Demetrius, and so has the truth[c] itself. We also testify for him,[d] and you know that our testimony is true.(H)
Final Greetings
13 I have much to write to you, but I would rather not write to you with pen and ink;(I) 14 instead, I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.
15 Peace to you. The friends send you their greetings. Greet the friends there, each by name.(J)
3 John
Contemporary English Version
3 John
Contemporary English Version
1 (A) From the church leader.[a]
To my dear friend Gaius.
I love you because we follow the truth, 2 dear friend, and I pray all goes well for you. I hope you are as strong in body, as I know you are in spirit. 3 It makes me very happy when the Lord's followers come by and speak openly of how you obey the truth. 4 Nothing brings me greater happiness than to hear that my children[b] are obeying the truth.
Working Together
5 Dear friend, you have always been faithful in helping other followers of the Lord, even the ones you didn't know before. 6 They have told the church about your love. They say you were good enough to welcome them and to send them on their mission in a way God's servants deserve. 7 When they left to tell others about the Lord, they decided not to accept help from anyone who wasn't a follower. 8 We must support people like them, so we can take part in what they are doing to spread the truth.
9 I wrote to the church. But Diotrephes likes to be the number-one leader, and he won't pay any attention to us. 10 So if I come, I will remind him of how he has been attacking us with gossip. Not only has he been doing this, but he refuses to welcome any of the Lord's followers who come by. And when other church members want to welcome them, he puts them out of the church.
11 Dear friend, don't imitate the evil deeds of others, but follow the example of people who do kind deeds. They are God's children, but those who are always doing evil have never seen God.
12 Everyone speaks well of Demetrius, and so does the true message that he teaches. I also speak well of him, and you know what I say is true.
Final Greetings
13 I have much more to say to you, but I don't want to write it with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and then we can talk in person.
15 I pray that God will bless you with peace!
Your friends send their greetings. Please give a personal greeting to each of our friends.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.