3 John 1
1
Greetings
1This letter is from John, the elder.#1:1 Greek From the elder.
I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.
2Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3Some of the traveling teachers#1:3 Greek the brothers; also in verses 5 and 10. recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 4I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.
Caring for the Lord’s Workers
5Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7For they are traveling for the Lord,#1:7a Greek They went out on behalf of the Name. and they accept nothing from people who are not believers.#1:7b Greek from Gentiles. 8So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
9I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.
11Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.#1:11 Greek they have not seen God.
12Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.
Conclusion
13I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. 14For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.
15 # 1:15 Some English translations combine verses 14 and 15 into verse 14. Peace be with you.
Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.
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3 John 1: NLT
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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3 John 1
1
1Greetings from the Elder.#1:1 Elder This is probably John the apostle. “Elder” means an older man or a special leader in the church (as in Titus 1:5).
To my dear friend Gaius, a person I truly love.
2My dear friend, I know that you are doing well spiritually. So I pray that everything else is going well with you and that you are enjoying good health. 3Some believers came and told me about the truth#1:3 truth The truth or “Good News” about Jesus Christ that joins all believers together. Also in verses 8, 12. in your life. They told me that you continue to follow the way of truth. This made me very happy. 4It always gives me the greatest joy when I hear that my children are following the way of truth.
5My dear friend, it is good that you continue to help the believers. They are people you don’t even know. 6They told the church about the love you have. Please help them to continue their trip. Help them in a way that will please God. 7They went on their trip to serve Christ. They did not accept any help from people who are not believers. 8So we should help them. When we help them, we share with their work for the truth.
9I wrote a letter to the church, but Diotrephes will not listen to what we say. He always wants to be the leader. 10When I come, I will talk with him about what he is doing. He lies and says evil things about us, but that is not all. He refuses to welcome and help the believers who travel there. And he will not let others help them. If they do, he stops them from meeting with the church anymore.
11My dear friend, don’t follow what is bad; follow what is good. Whoever does what is good is from God. But whoever does evil has never known God.
12Everyone says good things about Demetrius, and the truth agrees with what they say. Also, we say good about him. And you know that what we say is true.
13I have many things I want to tell you. But I don’t want to use pen and ink. 14I hope to visit you soon. Then we can be together and talk. 15Peace to you. The friends here with me send their love. Please give our love to each one of the friends there.
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