3 John
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Greeting
The Elder:(A)
To my dear friend[a] Gaius: I love you in the truth.(B)
2 Dear friend,[b] I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically(C) just as you are spiritually.[c] 3 For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified(D) to your faithfulness to the truth—how you are walking in the truth.(E) 4 I have no greater joy(F) than this: to hear that my children(G) are walking in the truth.
Gaius Commended
5 Dear friend,[d] you are showing faithfulness[e] by whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. 6 They have testified to your love in front of 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.(L) 8 Therefore, we ought to support such men so that we can be coworkers with[f] 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 us.(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 the brothers himself, but he even stops those who want to do so and expels them from the church.
11 Dear friend,[g] 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 Demetrius has a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. And we also testify for 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.[h]
Peace be with you. The friends send you greetings. Greet the friends by name.
Footnotes
- 3 John 1:1 Or my beloved
- 3 John 1:2 Or Beloved
- 3 John 1:2 Lit as your soul prospers
- 3 John 1:5 Or Beloved
- 3 John 1:5 Lit are doing a faithful thing
- 3 John 1:8 Or coworkers for
- 3 John 1:11 Or Beloved
- 3 John 1:14 Lit mouth to mouth
3 John
International Standard Version
Greetings from John
1 From:[a] The Elder
To: My dear friend Gaius, whom I genuinely love.
Encouragement for Gaius
2 Dear friend, I pray that you are doing well in every way and that you are healthy, just as your soul is healthy. 3 I was overjoyed when some brothers arrived and testified about your truthfulness and how you live according to the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are living according to the truth.
5 Dear friend, you are faithful in whatever you do for the brothers, especially when they are strangers. 6 They have testified before the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 After all, they went on their trip for the sake of the Name,[b] accepting no support from gentiles. 8 Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can become genuine helpers with them.
Criticism of Diotrephes
9 I wrote a letter[c] to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be in charge, will not recognize our authority.[d] 10 For this reason, when I come I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with that, he refuses to receive the brothers. He even tries to stop those who want to accept them[e] and throws them out of the church.
Praise for Demetrius
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The person who does what is good is from God. The person who does what is evil has never seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good report from everyone, including the truth itself. We, too, can testify to this report, and you know that our testimony is true.
Final Greeting
13 Although I have a great deal to write to you,[f] I would rather not write with pen and ink. 14 Instead, I hope to see you[g] soon and speak face to face.
15 May peace be with you![h] Your friends greet you.[i] Greet[j] each of our friends by name.
Footnotes
- 3 John 1:1 The Gk. lacks From
- 3 John 1:7 I.e. God
- 3 John 1:9 Lit. wrote something
- 3 John 1:9 The Gk. lacks authority
- 3 John 1:10 The Gk. lacks accept them
- 3 John 1:13 Lit. you (sing.)
- 3 John 1:14 Lit. you (sing.)
- 3 John 1:15 Lit. you (sing.)
- 3 John 1:15 Lit. you (sing.)
- 3 John 1:15 The Gk. verb is sing.
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