3 John Introduction
Introduction
This letter was written for a person named Gaius. It is a note of thanks and encouragement. John had sent a separate letter to the church of which Gaius was a member. That letter introduced and approved certain individuals. But in that church there was a leader named Diotrephes. Diotrephes opposed John’s authority. Diotrephes refused to accept that letter and the individuals John had sent. Diotrephes would not provide food for them nor a place to stay. He even sent away any church member who supported the people John had sent.
Gaius, however, did just the opposite. Gaius took these teachers into his own home. He supported them in their work. John is so thankful for what Gaius has done. He makes it clear in this letter that what Gaius is doing is right. The church must support these traveling preachers. That’s because these preachers bring the true good news. At the end of the letter John promises to visit soon.
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3 John Introduction: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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3 John Introduction
Introduction
3 John
While 2 John was written to warn a community of Jesus-followers against providing material assistance to false teachers, 3 John was written to address the opposite situation: to insist that a community provide a base of operations for traveling preachers who were walking in the truth. John had sent a letter to this community introducing and commending certain individuals, but Diotrephes, a leader in the community, refused to accommodate them. He opposed Johnʼs authority to the point of actually expelling anyone who supported the people heʼd sent. A man named Gaius, however, put these preachers up in his own home, enabling them to carry out their mission. Word got back to John both of Diotrephesʼ resistance and of Gaiusʼ loyalty. In this letter John sends Gaius a message of thanks and encouragement by the hand of Demetrius, another man he hopes will receive support. He also promises to come soon and set matters right.
3 John
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The Books of the Bible™
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