3 John
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Salutation
1 The elder to the beloved Ga′ius, whom I love in the truth.
Gaius Commended for His Hospitality
2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul. 3 For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth. 4 No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.
5 Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the brethren, especially to strangers, 6 who have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey as befits God’s service. 7 For they have set out for his sake and have accepted nothing from the heathen. 8 So we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers in the truth.
Diotrephes and Demetrius
9 I have written something to the church; but Diot′rephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, prating against me with evil words. And not content with that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church.
11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God. 12 Deme′trius[a] has testimony from every one, and from the truth itself; I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true.
Final Greetings
13 I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.
15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them.
Footnotes
- 12 Demetrius: Evidently a leading Christian, recommended to Gaius.
3 John
Living Bible
1 From: John, the Elder.
To: Dear Gaius, whom I truly love.
2 Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is. 3 Some of the brothers traveling by have made me very happy by telling me that your life stays clean and true and that you are living by the standards of the Gospel. 4 I could have no greater joy than to hear such things about my children.
5 Dear friend, you are doing a good work for God in taking care of the traveling teachers and missionaries who are passing through. 6 They have told the church here of your friendship and your loving deeds. I am glad when you send them on their way with a generous gift. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord and take neither food, clothing, shelter, nor money from those who are not Christians, even though they have preached to them. 8 So we ourselves should take care of them in order that we may become partners with them in the Lord’s work.
9 I sent a brief letter to the church about this, but proud Diotrephes, who loves to push himself forward as the leader of the Christians there, does not admit my authority over him and refuses to listen to me. 10 When I come I will tell you some of the things he is doing and what wicked things he is saying about me and what insulting language he is using. He not only refuses to welcome the missionary travelers himself but tells others not to, and when they do he tries to put 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 what is right prove that they are God’s children; and those who continue in evil prove that they are far from God. 12 But everyone, including Truth itself, speaks highly of Demetrius. I myself can say the same for him, and you know I speak the truth.
13 I have much to say, but I don’t want to write it, 14 for I hope to see you soon and then we will have much to talk about together. 15 So good-bye for now. Friends here send their love, and please give each of the folks there a special greeting from me.
Sincerely, John
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.