3 John
New American Standard Bible
A Good Report
1 (A)The elder to the beloved (B)Gaius, whom I (C)love in truth.
2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I (D)was overjoyed when (E)brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you (F)are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than [a]this, to hear of (G)my children (H)walking in the truth.
5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the (I)brothers and sisters, and [b]especially when they are (J)strangers; 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to [c](K)send them on their way in a manner (L)worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of (M)the Name, (N)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to [d]support such people, so that we may [e]prove to be fellow workers [f]with the truth.
9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to (O)be first among them, does not accept [g]what we say. 10 For this reason, (P)if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with malicious words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not (Q)receive the (R)brothers either, and he forbids those who want to do so and (S)puts them out of the church.
11 Beloved, (T)do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. (U)The one who does what is good is of God; (V)the one who does what is evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius (W)has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we testify too, and (X)you know that our testimony is true.
13 (Y)I had many things to write to you, but I do not want to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak [h]face to face.
15 (Z)Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends (AA)by name.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3 John 1:4 Lit these things, that I hear
- 3 John 1:5 Lit this
- 3 John 1:6 I.e., give them whatever they might need for the journey
- 3 John 1:8 Or receive as guests
- 3 John 1:8 Or become fellow
- 3 John 1:8 Or for
- 3 John 1:9 Lit us
- 3 John 1:14 Lit mouth to mouth
3 John
Revised Standard Version
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 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.
Read full chapterNew American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 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.