² I ask you to receive her in the Lord^(A) in a way worthy of his people^(B) and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

²⁹ So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,^(A)

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(A) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(B) in the one Spirit,^[a] striving together^(C) as one for the faith of the gospel

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(A) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(B) 41} Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”^(C)

⁵ Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,^[a](A) even though they are strangers to you.^{(B) 6} They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way^(C) in a manner that honors^(D) God. ⁷ It was for the sake of the Name^(E) that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.^{(F) 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,^(G) 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.^(H) He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.^(I)