3 John
Good News Translation
1 (A)From the Elder—
To my dear Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health—as I know you are well in spirit. 3 I was so happy when some Christians arrived and told me how faithful you are to the truth—just as you always live in the truth. 4 Nothing makes me happier than to hear that my children live in the truth.
Gaius Is Praised
5 My dear friend, you are so faithful in the work you do for other Christians, even when they are strangers. 6 They have spoken to the church here about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way that will please God. 7 For they set out on their trip in the service of Christ without accepting any help from unbelievers. 8 We Christians, then, must help these people, so that we may share in their work for the truth.
Diotrephes and Demetrius
9 I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay any attention to what I say. 10 When I come, then, I will bring up everything he has done: the terrible things he says about us and the lies he tells! But that is not enough for him; he will not receive the Christians when they come, and even stops those who want to receive them and tries to drive them out of the church!
11 My dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good. Whoever does good belongs to God; whoever does what is bad has not seen God.
12 Everyone speaks well of Demetrius; truth itself speaks well of him. And we add our testimony, and you know that what we say is true.
Final Greetings
13 I have so much to tell you, but I do not want to do it with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk personally.
15 Peace be with you.
All your friends send greetings. Greet all our friends personally.
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
Complete Jewish Bible
1 From: The Elder
To: Dear Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Dear friend, I am praying that everything prosper with you and that you be in good health, as I know you are prospering spiritually. 3 For I was so happy when some brothers came and testified how faithful you are to the truth, as you continue living in the truth. 4 Nothing gives me greater joy than hearing that my children are living in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in all the work you are doing for the brothers, even when they are strangers to you. 6 They have testified to your love in front of the congregation. You will be doing well if you send them on their way in a manner worthy of God, 7 since it was for the sake of HaShem that they went out without accepting anything from the Goyim. 8 It is we, therefore, who should support such people; so that we may share in their work for the truth.
9 I wrote something to the congregation; but Diotrephes, who likes to be the macher among them, doesn’t recognize our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up everything he is doing, including his spiteful and groundless gossip about us. And as if that weren’t enough for him, he refuses to recognize the brothers’ authority either; moreover, he stops those who want to do so and tries to drive them out of the congregation!
11 Dear friend, don’t imitate the bad, but the good. Those who do what is good are from God; those who do what is bad are not from God.
12 Everyone speaks well of Demetrius, and so does the truth itself. We vouch for him, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 I have much to write you, but I don’t want to write with pen and ink; 14 however, I am hoping to see you very soon, and we will speak face to face.
Shalom to you. Your friends send you their greetings. Greet each of our friends by name.
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.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
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.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson