Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Print Page Options
Close NLT

3 John
New Living Translation

Greetings

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

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

2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 Some of the traveling teachers[b] recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 4 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

Caring for the Lord’s Workers

5 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. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord,[c] and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.[d] 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.

9 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.[e]

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 [f]Peace be with you.

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 Greek From the elder.
  2. 3 Greek the brothers; also in verses 5 and 10.
  3. 7a Greek They went out on behalf of the Name.
  4. 7b Greek from Gentiles.
  5. 11 Greek they have not seen God.
  6. 15 Some English translations combine verses 14 and 15 into verse 14.
Listen to 3 John
Close NKJV

3 John
New King James Version

Greeting to Gaius

1 The Elder,

To the beloved Gaius, (A)whom I love in truth:

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I (B)rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater (C)joy than to hear that (D)my children walk in [a]truth.

Gaius Commended for Generosity

5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren [b]and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, (E)taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to (F)receive[c] such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, (G)prating[d] against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

11 Beloved, (H)do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. (I)He who does good is of God, [e]but he who does evil has not seen (J)God.

12 Demetrius (K)has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also [f]bear witness, (L)and you know that our testimony is true.

Farewell Greeting

13 (M)I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.

Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

Footnotes

  1. 3 John 1:4 NU the truth
  2. 3 John 1:5 NU and especially for
  3. 3 John 1:8 NU support
  4. 3 John 1:10 talking nonsense
  5. 3 John 1:11 NU, M omit but
  6. 3 John 1:12 testify
Listen to 3 John
Close CSB

3 John
Christian Standard Bible

Greeting

1 The elder:(A)

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

2 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] 3 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) 4 I have no greater joy(F) than this: to hear that my children(G) are walking in truth.

Gaius Commended

5 Dear friend, you are acting faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, especially when they are strangers. 6 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) 7 since they set out for the sake of the Name,(K) accepting nothing from pagans.[b](L) 8 Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can be coworkers with the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

9 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
Listen to 3 John
Close NIV

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

  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.
Close VOICE

3 John
The Voice

1 I, the elder, to Gaius, who is much loved by all and loved in truth by me.

2 My beloved friend, I pray that everything is going well for you and that your body is as healthy as your soul is prosperous. 3 I was thrilled when the brothers and sisters came and told me stories of your faithfulness as you continue to walk in the truth. 4 The greatest joy in my life is hearing how my children are walking in the truth.

5 My friend, you demonstrate your faithfulness in all the things you do for the brothers and sisters; even when they are strangers to you, you treat them as family. 6 These friends tell the entire church how you have extended your hand to them in love. You will do well to send them on in a way that is in keeping with God. 7 They have gone out to serve under the banner of the Name, and they do not accept gifts from those outside our faith community. 8 We should give people like this our full support so that we can share in this work for the truth.

9 I wrote some things specifically to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the one up front, rejects us. 10 If I come, you can be sure that I will call him out and draw attention to his actions. He assails us with lies and deceit. As if that were not enough, he does not welcome the traveling missionaries into his home. Instead, he hinders any who do so and expels them from the church.

11 Dear friend, don’t follow his evil ways. Instead, imitate the good and righteous life. The one doing what is good belongs to God, but those who pursue evil have never even laid eyes on God.

12 Demetrius has a good reputation with everyone we know. The truth stands on his side, and we add our unreserved recommendation to the long list of accounts on his behalf. You can rest assured that we are telling the truth.

13 There is so much I would like to say to you, but I do not want to say it with ink and pen. 14 I expect us to be together soon and talk about these things face-to-face.

15 May you experience true peace. I send you greetings from the fellow believers here. Greet all our friends there personally.

Next
2 John 1
Jude 1
Next
dropdown
New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

The Voice (VOICE)

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.