² that you ^(A)may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

²⁹ So ^(A)receive him in the Lord with all joy, and ^(B)honor such men,

²⁷ Only ^(A)let your manner of life be ^(B)worthy^[a] of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you ^(C)that you are standing firm in one spirit, with ^(D)one mind ^(E)striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Support and Opposition

⁵ Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for ^(A)these brothers, ^(B)strangers as they are, ⁶ who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner ^(C)worthy of God. ⁷ For they have gone out for the sake of ^(D)the name, ^(E)accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

⁹ I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, ^(A)do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

¹⁷ So if you consider me ^(A)your partner, receive him as you would receive me.

¹² I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.

^3 (A)Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, ^(B)not slanderers ^(C)or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

¹⁸ may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on ^(A)that day!—and you well know all the service he ^(B)rendered at Ephesus.

^10 (A)but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.